Ethnic Leaders Research Articles

The motivating and mobilizing effects of inequality on civil conflict: Focusing on trade-induced labor market shocks

This article has two aims: (1) to identify the causal effect of income inequality on civil conflict and (2) to find the mechanism in which disadvantaged individuals can mobilize collective violence. Applying the Heckscher-Ohlin and Stopler-Samuelson theorems, this study hypothesizes that workers in land-rich countries – those who face contracted demand in the labor market and consequently a larger income disparity – will have a lower opportunity cost to engage in conflict as trade expands. Exploiting exogenous spatial variation in inequality due to the country’s factor endowment, together with time variation in tariffs arising from the economic liberalization, the work of this research documents a statistically significant and economically meaningful causal effect of inequality on civil conflict. Secondly, to identify the mobilizing effect of inequality, I test whether higher disparity in income distribution within an ethnic group breeds more rebellions initiated by the group. Esteban and Ray’s model claims that an increase in income inequality within an ethnic group makes collective violence more likely, because the poor within the group provide conflict labor, and the rich within the group provide resources for violence. By merging international census data that cover 115 million individuals from 221 ethnic groups with the groups’ conflict records, the analysis empirically identifies that when holding total ethnic income constant, within-group inequality that is proxied by the unemployment rate is strongly correlated with the group’s propensity to initiate armed conflicts. Shedding new light on the prevailing scholarly discord that exclusively chooses either one of class and ethnic cleavages as sources of intrastate violence, the findings of this study imply that if trade-induced labor market shocks increase within-group inequality, it motivates workers to participate in rebellions by lowering their opportunity cost of fighting and mobilizes ethnic collective violence by allowing the ethnic leaders to recruit combatants at a lower cost.

Breaking the bamboo ceiling and de-bunking the model minority myth.

Leadership roles must incorporate representation from all involved individuals for the resulting decision-making process to reflect the interests and expertise of a diverse organization. Many resources have rightly focused on developing historically underrepresented racial and ethnic(HURE) leaders. Though numbers of Black and Hispanic dental school deans have increased, more work is needed for these and other HURE groups such as American Indians. Asians are not classified as HURE. As an aggregated group they have robust presence in the dental workforce in North America, the United Kingdom and Australia. The assumption is they are fine, so the group is ignored. Previous research indicates Asians are almost invisible in leadership roles in dentistry, and while the "Glass Ceiling" phenomenon for women persists, Asian women face even greater obstacles to leadership. This paper explores cultural factors contributing to the "Bamboo Ceiling", such as Confucian values emphasizing collectivism and deference to authority. It examines challenges faced by Asian women at the intersection of gender and race. The impact of the "Model Minority Myth" compounds these challenges, leading to overlooking diverse needs. The importance of dispelling these harmful myths is underscored. This paper provides strategies to combat them, urging proactive efforts from minorities and management. By shedding light on the "Bamboo Ceiling" and the "Model Minority Myth", this paper aims to reassess existing norms, current policies and procedures pertaining to equitable representation and leadership opportunities for Asian women in academic dentistry, community oral health, research, and in dental corporations.

Federalism in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and the Way Forward

The study investigated Federalism in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges.To achieve this purpose, Survey research design was adopted. This design was found suitable because it involves using a self-designed questionnaire in collecting data from the respondents. The Population of the study consisted of all the respondents in Akwa Ibom State. A sample of 200 respondents was selected using purposive sampling technique. The Instrument used for obtaining data was a researcher developed instrument entitled “Practice of Federalism Questionnaire (PFQ)”. The instrument was given face validation by experts. In order to establish the reliability of the instrument, a pilot study was carried out on a sample of 30 respondents using a test-retest method. Data generated from the study were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test analysis for both research questions and t-test respectively. The results of the findings showed that there is a significant influence of Federalism in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges based on resource allocation, inter-ethnic competition and inter-governmental relations. Based on the findings, it is recommended among others that there should be a review of Revenue Allocation Formulae to emphasize the Derivation Principle and allocation of larger percentage of resources to states, there should also encourage and facilitate dialogue among ethnic leaders and civil society organizations to address grievances and promote peaceful coexistence. Finally,there should consider devolving more powers to the state and local governments, allowing them to have greater control over matters that directly affect their communities. This promotes local governance and development.

Perceptions and beliefs of community gatekeepers about genomic risk information in African cleft research

BackgroundA fundamental ethical issue in African genomics research is how socio-cultural factors impact perspectives, acceptance, and utility of genomic information, especially in stigmatizing conditions like orofacial clefts (OFCs). Previous research has shown that gatekeepers (e.g., religious, political, family or community leaders) wield considerable influence on the decision-making capabilities of their members, including health issues. Thus, their perspectives can inform the design of engagement strategies and increase exposure to the benefits of genomics testing/research. This is especially important for Africans underrepresented in genomic research. Our study aims to investigate the perspectives of gatekeepers concerning genomic risk information (GRI) in the presence of OFCs in a sub-Saharan African cohort.MethodsTwenty-five focus group discussions (FGDs) consisting of 214 gatekeepers (religious, community, ethnic leaders, and traditional birth attendants) in Lagos, Nigeria, explored the opinions of participants on genomic risk information (GRI), OFC experience, and the possibility of involvement in collaborative decision-making in Lagos, Nigeria. Transcripts generated from audio recordings were coded and analyzed in NVivo using thematic analysis.ResultsThree main themes—knowledge, beliefs, and willingness to act—emerged from exploring the perspective of gatekeepers about GRI in this group. We observed mixed opinions regarding the acceptance of GRI. Many participants believed their role is to guide and support members when they receive results; this is based on the level of trust their members have in them. However, participants felt they would need to be trained by medical experts to do this. Also, religious and cultural beliefs were crucial to determining participants’ understanding of OFCs and the acceptance and utilization of GRI.ConclusionsIncorporating cultural sensitivity into public engagement could help develop appropriate strategies to manage conflicting ideologies surrounding genomic information in African communities. This will allow for more widespread access to the advances in genomics research in underrepresented populations. We also recommend a synergistic relationship between community health specialists/scientists, and community leaders, including spiritual providers to better understand and utilize GRI.

СТРАТЕГИИ СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ АДАПТАЦИИ: ЖИЗНЕННЫЕ ИСТОРИИ ТРЕТЬЕГО ПОКОЛЕНИЯ КОРЕЙЦЕВ КАЗАХСТАНА

In Kazakhstan, the local ethnic Korean population is identified as an ethnic group that assimilates well within the country. Considering this, the authors of this article posit the following questions: What adaptation strategies and life values do the third generation of ethnic Koreans adhere to? What adaptive behaviors may be anticipated from the Korean ethnic group in the future? This paper analyses major integration trends of the third generation of Korean diaspora in Kazakhstan. Three strategies for adaptation (integration) are proposed in the context of post-Soviet independent Kazakhstan: education and professionalism; ethnic leadership; and transnational ties with South Korea. The authors test and analyze hypotheses regarding the influence of role models on the integration process into Kazakhstani society. This is achieved through content analysis of materials derived from journalistic articles alongside interviews with third and fourth generation ethnic Koreans. Analysis is conducted on materials gathered from the urban population of Koreans in Kazakhstan. The concept of the “ethnic enclave” was corroborated by the evidence of ethnic population concentration with high social and economic activity outside of geographically delineated borders. The concept of strong upward assimilation was supported by the life histories of third and fourth generation of ethnic Koreans in Kazakhstan. Overall, this article contributes significantly to the academic understanding of ethnic adaptation, integration, and assimilation in the context of post-Soviet Kazakhstan and the broader migration process.

Ethnic leadership in the age of disruption: implications for South African municipalities

Municipalities are mandated to follow the principles of democracy, accountability, and good governance. This is evident in the delivery of basic services. Municipalities are directly responsible for ensuring that communities have water, sanitation, and so on, and that community members have a voice that affects their existence. This is, however, not the case in most South African communities, where squalor and sordid conditions prevail. In 2021, it was reported that 64 municipalities were dysfunctional and that the dysfunction was attributed to “poor governance, weak institutional capacity, poor financial management, corruption, and political instability”. A Code of Conduct is available in the South African public sector, governing the behavior and work ethic of public officials, councillors, and the like. Yet corruption and maladministration at the local government level prevail. Therefore, the Local Government Ethical Leadership Initiative was launched in 2020 with the view of devising another code focused on ethical governance in South African local government by October 2023. The research question that this article addresses is centered on whether a new code of conduct is needed and whether the problem with the existing code does not lie with its enforcement or the ethnicity of the public officials in leadership positions and their view on how to conduct business. The article employed a qualitative research approach where secondary sources of information, constituting document analysis, premised around disruption and ethnic leadership as well as the legislative framework in relation to the Code of Conduct governing South African local government in particular and anti-corrupt behavior in general, were explored. Four provinces were purposefully selected to partake in the study. Extracts from the AG’s report formed the locus of the study. It was found that one cannot explicitly say that ethnicity plays a role in how municipalities are governed. However, governance in selected provinces was marred by poor governance practices and inadequate leadership. The Code of Conduct for Public Servants is generally not adhered to. Further research around ethnic leadership in the South African public sector is called for.

Exploring tabooed food among Dayaknese of Ngaju Women in Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia

Background: Dayak Ngaju is a sub-ethnic group of the Dayak tribe in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. This group practices cultural practices as an identity, including the food taboo. Objective: This study aimed to explore the food taboo practices among women of Ngaju Dayaknese living in Central Kalimantan Province. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was employed. A total of 12 informants were included, consisting of three pregnant women and two breastfeeding women as the main informants, five relatives of each woman, a midwife, and an ethnic leader. The in-depth interview was done in the study of Kartamulya Village, Sukamara District, Central Kalimantan Province. Content analysis was used for data analysis. Results: All the women were of reproductive age. Types of foods and dishes that are categorized as taboo include unripe pineapple, durian, chempedak, jackfruit; gourami (kalui), catfish/lele, puffer fish/buntal, wallago/tapah, snakehead fish/kerandang, marble goby/bakut/betutu, forest snakehead fish/jujung, shark catfish/patin; luffa gourd/gambas/oyong, bamboo shoots, stinky beans/jengkol; and soda. The food taboo for breastfeeding mothers was not described in detail. Conclusion: There was no reason to accept the scientific aspects of avoiding those foods rationally. Restricting the consumption of food during pregnancy and breastfeeding might have the risk of being anemic. Further study can include the anemia assessment to examine the impact of food taboo practices and anemia. Stakeholders at the village level can collaborate to decrease the negative health impact of food taboo practices on pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

The role of communities and leadership in ending female genital mutilation in Tanzania: an exploratory cross-sectional qualitative study in Tanga

BackgroundFemale genital mutilation (FGM) is one of the diehard cultures in the Mediterranean and sub-Saharan Africa. The act involves chopping off part of the female genitals in varying degrees depending on the society. The motive behind this practice includes reducing female sexual desire, a sign of maturation, and retaining the culture. The current study explored the roles of community members and leaders in the fight against FGM; and the reasons for continuing the practice in some societies.MethodWe did an exploratory cross-sectional qualitative study between June – July 2020 in six purposively selected villages from Kilindi and Handeni districts in Tanga that were part of the five years implementation project. The project was named Alternative Right of Passage (APR) by Amref Health Africa Tanzania to eradicate FGM. The interventions were to sensitize the community on the effects of FGM on women’s health, educate and create demand for girl children to attend and complete school. Ethnic leaders and village members aged 19 years and above were purposively selected. Due to the sensitive nature of the study, FGDs were conducted separately between men and women. In addition, we did the inductive thematic analysis.ResultsFour main themes emerged from the analysis; (1) the history of FGM and reasons behind persistent FGM practices, (2) Challenges to abandonment of FGM, (3) strategies to be used to eradicate FGM, and (4) Key change agents in ending FGM. It was reported that the FGM practice was inherited from elders years ago and is believed to reduce women’s sexual desire when the husband travels away for a long time. Some societies still practice FGM secretly because marrying an uncircumcised girl is a curse, as the husband and children will die. Some older women still practice FGM as they still hold the ancient culture. Constant communication with community leaders, seniors, and the young generation on complications of FGM will fasten efforts toward eradicating FGM practice.ConclusionThere are sporadic cases done secretly associated with FGM practice since the ant-FGM campaign, so this should be the reason to continue with the campaign. Winning the tribal/ethnic leaders can facilitate better achievement in the fight against FGM. In addition, social diffusion with inter-tribe marriages was also singled out as one of the factors that will make FGM practice unfamiliar to the communities in the future.

The Potential of Singkawang City People From Aspect Of Harmony

As a multicultural country, the opportunities for clashes and conflicts in Indonesia are wide open. This is due to the plurality and heterogeneity of Indonesian society which is reflected in the form of cultural diversity, religion, lifestyle in society which is quite complex. In the history of West Kalimantan Province, various horizontal conflicts have alternated, including 1997 and 1999, the Madura conflict with Malay/Dayak etc. The number of fatalities and material losses is incalculable. Singkawang is one of the 12 Level II Regions and 2 Cities in West Kalimantan Province. This city was included as the most tolerant city in Indonesia in two selections by the SETARA Institute. There were hardly any outbreaks of escalating conflict, even though the city is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Malays and Chinese from the Hakka or Khek sub-ethnic. This qualitative research with case study method was conducted with the aim of knowing and describing the potential of the people of Singkawang City from the aspect of harmony. The research was conducted by collecting data through interviews with three resource persons living in Singkawang and Pontianak, namely with researchers from the Institute of Dayakology, Malay ethnic leaders and Dayak ethnic leaders. Another data collection technique was to collect data from research sources, internet journals and from various books. The conclusion of this study is that there are several supporting factors that make the Singkawang people live in harmony. Namely, among others, regional leaders who are considered to represent ethnic groups in Singkawang City. Then the people feel that the city government treats them fairly. This political recognition can be seen from the celebration of religious holidays of each religion which is carried out lively. However, the period leading up to and after the Pilkada is one of the factors to watch out for that can trigger conflict. This is due to the unique composition of the population of Singkawang city, namely the majority are citizens of Chinese descent, while the contestants put forward identity politics.

"Новые коренные": проектная этничность на Ямале

Based on field materials, the article examines the design ethnicity of the indigenous peoples of Yamal, who, on the one hand, are conservative keepers of traditions and folklore, but at the same time are very adaptable to modern realities, enterprising and mobile. Today, when traditions are noticeably losing their share against the backdrop of urbanization, cyberization and other non-traditional life support systems, the surrounding social environment is becoming increasingly important for the preservation and maintenance of ethnicity. If in the past the environment was understood primarily as nature, today it is mainly society and its communication system. The stimulus for the presentation and worthy positioning of one's own culture (language, traditions, history) causes a kind of ethno-renaissance (with elements of ethno-competition) and contributes to the global spread of the fashion for "ethno". On this wave, new categories of ethnic leaders, activists, politicians, public figures and entrepreneurs appear who are focused on personal self-realization and promotion using their ethnic potential. Indigenous peoples are leaders in terms of ethno-cultural self-realization, generating and transferring the energy of ethnicity to others. They manage not only to maintain their originality, but also to create something new. Such initiatives open up new opportunities for activating the ethno-cultural potential. The new generation of indigenous people is focused on their own advancement in the ethno-cultural space with the help of modern technologies and means.

Seeking aspiring black and minority ethnic leaders

Seeking aspiring black and minority ethnic leaders

The impact of mentoring on early career faculty: Assessment of a virtual mentoring program.

11039 Background: Participation in mentorship programs for early career physicians may be crucial to developing key skills and professional networks to navigate racial, ethnic and gender leadership disparities in medicine. A 6-month virtual facilitated peer mentorship program was developed and piloted through the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) Women & Diversity Committee. The evaluation of the program’s feasibility to positively impact early career physicians, investigators and trainees is presented here. Methods: We designed and conducted a virtual mentoring program pilot open to SNO’s multidisciplinary members in residency, fellowship, or early career phase, leveraging peer-mentoring sessions with mid-to late-career physician mentors. A curriculum with online resources was provided recommending groups meet for 6 sessions: 3 involving the mentor and 3 dedicated to peer-mentoring. Group assignments were based on time-zones and interests. Pre- and post-participation surveys assessed mentee experience. Descriptive statistics were used to assess participant demographics and survey results. Results: Our call for participation was broad; all 20 mentee applicants participated in 5 groups. Mentees were 90% women and 60% were from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Most were aged 31-40 (75%) and junior faculty (50%) in neuro-oncology (65%). The 5 senior mentors (3 men and 3 of diverse race and ethnic backgrounds) practiced either neuro-oncology (3), neurosurgery (1) or radiation oncology (1). The proportion who reporting having a signature lecture increased from 15% to 62% during the pilot. A large majority reported their participation was worthwhile (85%), that they would participate again (92%) and would recommend it to others (92%). Feedback themes included positive personal growth, peer support, networking and job opportunities, access to CV reviews, lack of and desire for late career female mentors, and virtual scheduling constraints. While the pilot was limited by several variables, it was timely to connect participants in Q3 of 2020 early in the COVID-19 global pandemic. The virtual meeting environment created a venue to share and discuss topics such as work-life balance, burnout, leading through change and social connection. Despite not achieving 100% professional concordance, participants found the experience worthwhile. The tools and curriculum of topics provided was implemented differently across groups, leading to varied experiences. Finally, we did not have 100% post pilot follow up despite multiple attempts limiting our complete understanding of the pilot. Conclusions: This virtual mentorship pilot program proved feasible and of value in development of early career women and diverse individuals. A resource toolkit has been designed to scale and diffuse.

LANGUAGE POLICY IN TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN: A COMPARATIVE APPROACH TO THE TWO LANGUAGE REFORMS

Language policy refers to a set of decisions made by government or public institutions including language revivers, ethnic leaders, language agencies, or educational policy makers, etc., or refers to their implementations. However, the process of decision making, the methods, and the results alter from one country to another. Stating the failure or successes of a language policy is a difficult task for a sociolinguist because of the absence, scarcity, or unreliability of quantifiable data. However, examining the failures or successes of a language policy and evaluating how effective these processes are for different cultures and different experiences is also an important step for further studies. This paper will attempt to give an assessment of the Turkish and Azerbaijani Language Reforms while comparing the leading linguistic and nonlinguistic factors of each one, as well as describing the process and outcomes of them in order to show why one- Turkish language reform- has been more successful than the other- Azerbaijani language reform. In this respect, after focusing on the historical background, goals, functions, and outcomes of these two language reforms, this article will evaluate and compare the success of these two language policies utilizing some sociolinguistic criteria.

Immigrant Entrepreneurship in Cities: Global Perspectives

Immigration is a topic of enduring interest. In addition, immigrant communities, as cultural, economic and political emblems, have always existed in global cities. Immigrant Entrepreneurship in Cities: Global Perspectives, edited by Prof. Cathy Yang Liu, provides a comprehensive insight into the experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs in 13 diverse urban cities across five continents. This book employs a traditionally comparative approach to analyze the economic and development differences between the Global North and the Global South. One of its key innovations, however, is the theoretical framework used to explore emerging economies like South Africa and Brazil. By reading this book, readers can gain a panoramic and brand-new understanding of immigrant entrepreneurship in some immigrant cities. In their opening words of Part I, Lauren W. Forbes and Cathy Y. Liu introduce the connections between global cities and economic patterns using the theoretical framework of comparative analysis and transnational immigration studies. In the aftermath of WWII, Sydney, the fourth greatest immigrant city in the contemporary world, introduced large-scale settler immigration programs that saw it accept people from countries, such as Korea, Lebanon, etc., and refugees from Iraq and Syria. Unlike late immigrants (the post-1997) to Hong Kong, Sydney has witnessed several generations of family immigration who have brought distinctive lifestyles and business careers. Korean immigrants in Sydney have succeeded in building the intergenerational businesses such as restaurants, supermarkets and hotels. By contrast, indigent refugees or humanitarian immigrants from Africa have found it harder to start businesses because they are more poorly educated. By the authority of the Chinese Central Government, Hong Kong, as a global intermediary in entrepôt trade, experienced an economic boom, which motivated many local people and attracted many British, Americans and Austrians to establish their businesses since its handover in 1997. However, this boom relied upon large numbers of low-paid laborers from South Asian nations like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Comparatively speaking, on the other side of the world, European and American cities, like Barcelona, Paris, New York, El Paso and Washington, DC, reveal the varying ecology of immigration communities. Asian and African immigrants participate widely in the food service market in Barcelona and Paris. Their particular national and ethnic foodstuffs bring people together in the urban neighborhoods but can create the derisive name of ‘commercial ghettoes’ that are separate from the white mainstream but serve as a conduit for Europeans to know about the communities. On the other hand, besides trans-pacific Asian immigrants like Chinese, Koreans, Indians, Vietnamese and Filipinos to the USA, Hispanic immigration from countries, such as Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, also make up a significant share of immigration to the USA owing to their proximity to the US border. It is notable that, according to the figures of the US Census Bureau, of the 1,050,911 firms in New York City, 51 percent of them are minority-owned (p. 102). Furthermore, in New York City, successful self-employed Hispanic businesspeople are also key players in the ethnic leadership in the city, advocating for working-class immigrants and maintaining good relationship with local politicians and with mestizo elites in New York’s professional sphere (p. 104). This resonates with similar cases of Mongolians, Nepalese, Salvadorans, Ethiopians and Eritreans in Washington, DC, who have developed livelihoods as street peddlers, bakers or small restaurant owners.

Introduction

Roman Conrad Pucinski was born into the Polish American community in Buffalo, New York, in 1919. Moving to Chicago as a child, he grew up in the Polish Downtown neighborhood before enrolling in Northwestern University in nearby Evanston in 1938. After graduating in 1941 he served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II, during which he was the lead bombardier on the first B-29 mission to Tokyo. Following the war, he attended John Marshall Law School in Chicago from 1945 to 1949 while simultaneously pursuing a journalistic career with the Chicago Times, later to become the Chicago Sun-Times. As a reporter, he covered city hall, which one observer described as “a plum assignment that included covering the city's Byzantine politics and a host of characters, many crooked but nearly all colorful.”1Pucinski's first appearance on the national stage came in 1952 when he took a leave of absence from his position with the newspaper to accept an assignment as chief investigator for a special committee of Congress formed to investigate the mass murder of Polish officers and officials by the Soviets during World War II, a topic of singular interest to him given his Polish ancestry and ties to the ethnic community. Not only did the Katyń investigation vault Pucinski's name into national prominence, it also solidified his position in the Polish ethnic community that would form the basis of his political support in his rise to national influence. The 11th Congressional District in Illinois, from which Pucinski gained election to the House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1959, has been characterized as “the ultimate ethnic American district.” The 1970 census revealed that nearly half of its 454,329 residents had been born outside the United States.2Pucinski's fourteen years in Congress (1959–73) spanned some of the most turbulent and transformative times in postwar America with him taking a leading part in a host of important initiatives. Likewise, after leaving Congress he served for eighteen years (1973–91) as a Chicago alderman at a time when the city was also undergoing significant, economic, ethnic, and political change. Not only did he take a leading part in addressing the resulting issues, he also engaged as a leader in the local and national Polish American community. Seldom has a person been presented with opportunities to make substantial contributions within an ethnic community, on a citywide level, and on the national level and risen to the occasion in each instance.In this special issue of Polish American Studies, we begin with an original primary source prepared for this issue, a memoir of Roman Pucinski's daughter, who shares her recollections of her father, his work in the Polish community, and his feelings and motivations during his career in Congress and as alderman. Since Pucinski's well-developed sense of Polishness (Polskość) was formed early in life, we next move to an article on his mother, Lidia Pucińska, herself a prominent Chicago radio figure and ethnic leader, contributed by historian Joanna Wojdon, who conducted extensive research in the Pucińska Papers in the Polish Museum of America in Chicago.Pucinski's Congressional years marked a turning point in many important domestic concerns in which he was intimately involved. His leadership in these is examined by James S. Pula, while his interactions with the Polish American community, both during his congressional and subsequent years, is the topic of an interview with Richard Owsiany, who worked closely with him in the Polish American Congress and on various community projects. In the closing article, Dominic A. Pacyga delves into the world of Chicago politics to examine Pucinski's role during the critical changes the city underwent while he served as alderman. We hope that this special issue will shed light on an important figure in Polonia who also wielded considerable influence in local and national politics.We wish to thank the editor, Anna Jaroszyńska-Kirchmann, and the members of the editorial board for their support in this project, as well as Richard Owsiany and the Polish Museum of America for permission to use photographs from the museum collections.

Roman C. Pucinski: Chicago Alderman and Polonia Leader

Abstract Longtime congressman Roman C. Pucinski ran for the Chicago City Council in 1973, after his defeat for a seat in the United States Senate that year. He served as alderman until 1991. During those years, Chicago politics went through a transformation that saw the old political system begin to disintegrate and a new one emerge. Pucinski played a key role in these events. He played the part of both an ethnic politician and an ethnic community leader, serving as president of the Polish American Congress-Illinois Division for many years and as one of the most important spokesmen for Chicago Polonia. Once again, this era was a transformative one for the Polish community as it saw its political power begin to decline in the city.

Editorial Note

I am very glad to present to you a guest-edited issue of our journal. It comes as a follow-up to the conference Roman Pucinski and Polish American Politics, which took place at Loyola University Chicago, November 15–16, 2019.In this issue, historians James S. Pula and Dominic A. Pacyga bring together three scholarly articles, an interview, and a short memoir, all focused on Roman C. Pucinski and other Pucinski family members. The Pucinski family has been active both in the Chicago Polonia and nationally for many decades. However, as the discipline of immigration and ethnic history evolves and changes directions, the careers of political leaders such as Roman Pucinski have recently attracted less scholarly attention. Roman Pucinski's mother, Lidia, is also an example of a female ethnic leader, primarily in the cultural arena, but she also did not shy away from political involvement. The articles and other materials in this issue highlight the Pucinskis’ contributions to the community and the nation.Additionally, this issue of Polish American Studies includes reviews of books by Eric Hinderaker and Rebecca Horn, and by Małgorzata Szejnert, as well as a collection edited by Tomasz Pudłocki and Andrew Kier Wise.

Gestión: Ambivalence and Temporalities of Kinship and Politics in the Colombian Amazon

ABSTRACT In the city of Mocoa in the Colombian Amazon, indigenous leaders capture desired resources for their communities using skilful navigation and engagement in the diverse institutional landscape of this bureaucratic centre of the Putumayo region. Interactions between these leaders and multiple political actors are locally known as gestión. In this article, we explore this ethnographic category by analysing the ways in which gestión interweaves kinship, politics and temporality. Describing gestión in the lives of two cousins, two Inga women who are both experienced leaders, we argue that it entails generating and fostering friendships and alliances by means of kinship networks and practices, which are central to capturing resources and maintaining relationships among ethnic leaders and communities, where mistrust is part of political dynamics and family life. We also show how leaders incorporate the temporalities of gestión into their lives through kinship notions to become powerful political agents in Mocoa.

What the Instrumentalists Got Wrong? Ethnopolitical Violence, Ethnic Leadership and Ethnopolitical Conflicts

As per the instrumentalists, ethnic identity is not primordial and is based on ethnic elite’s political and social construction. They argue that only because there are differences and inequality among the groups is not a sufficient reason for the emergence of a conflict between them. An ethnopolitical conflict would emerge when the elite of a particular ethnic group would make a concentrated effort to highlight this difference and rally the masses on it. The paper argues that Instrumentalist theory fails to explain the timing of politicization and mobilization of ethnicities. Questions such as how significant is the role of history? Could collective memory or history of past injustices generate ethnic mobilization? Why the masses believe and follow the ethnic elite? And why only at a certain time, the efforts of the ethnic elite to mobilize the masses are successful? Are raised and addressed using two case studies of ethnopolitical conflicts: Tamil-Sinhalese conflict, and the Rohingyia-Buddhist conflict. The key finding is that it is the ethnic elite that play the most significant role in shaping the conflict and whether it would get violent using a grievance based narrative and a sparking event

Coexistence and peace based on diversity in a multicultural society

This research paper is qualitative research, and the objectives are as follows: 1) To study the context of the community and society Political Culture and economy that facilitate coexistence 2) To study the factors contributing to coexistence and peace based on diversity in a multicultural society. Data was collected by gathering them from relevant documents, In-depth interviews with informants, small group chat, and participatory observation. The groups that provide information consists of community leaders, religious leaders, ethnic leader’s expert and the villagers, totalling 39 people. The researcher found out that: The social community context has strong relationships between networks. In terms of governance, there is a decentralized government to divide the government into a community worthwhile. Common village rules in terms of culture, beliefs, traditions, and rituals are inherited from ancestors and economic aspects, the concept of sufficiency economy is applied to the practice of integrated agriculture. It leads to the integration and formation of groups for the production, distribution, fundraising within the community. This is an important mechanism to ensure the sustainability of a shared learning community.