Interethnic Community Research Articles

Urban interethnic community through the lens of state national policy

Urban interethnic community through the lens of state national policy

The Role of Abamura/Morans in Cross-Border Conflicts among the Maasai and the Kuria of Kenya, 1920-1963

It is a historical fact that most Kenyan communities are haunted by actual or potential ethnic conflicts. Kenya comprises of many ethnic communities that are religiously shaped by their cherished cultures. These are the cultures which influenced the peoples’ behavior and conduct. It is therefore true that most Kenyan communities were directly or indirectly affected by inter-ethnic community crisis. Inter-ethnic conflicts that were so prevalent among the Kenyan communities concerned cultural issues though culture was not uniform in all communities. This study analyzes the contribution of culture in the frequent conflicts between the Maasai and Kuria communities from 1920 to 1963. Conflict theory was employed to examine the conflicts and was reinforced by structural functionalism theory in the analysis. The assumption in this study was that culture was specifically a contributory factor in regional conflicts and therefore needed a local examination. The study relied on secondary and primary data such as those from the existing written sources and from the affected peoples of Kuria and Trans-Mara region. Purposive sampling was used to reach out to the informants. The research was guided by the specific research questions and objectives which included establishing the influence of rites of passage, Moranism/Abamura and religious beliefs on cross-border conflict between the Maasaiand Kuria from 1920 to 1963. This research was confined to cultural issues between 1920 – 1963. Scarce data, hostile respondents, vast land, sparse population and poor means of transport were some of the limitations encountered. The targeted groups of people for interview included the District Commissioners, head teachers of primary and secondary schools, church leaders, chiefs, clan elders, Border Peace Committee members, traditional healers, Morans/Abamura, Agricultural officers and ordinary residents. This research is descriptive and was based at Kegonga Division of Kuria and Masurura Division of Trans-Mara. Data collected was analyzed and the validity of the research examined together with its reliability. The backgrounds of the Kuria and Maasai were also studied to examine the progressive development of cross-border conflict between them since 1920 to 1963 and how culture had been a hindrance to positive adoption of modern lifestyle. Data collected from the field of study was analyzed, discussed, presented and interpreted within the set objectives of the study. The study also examined the aspects of the cultures of both the Maasai and Kuria which were seen to perpetuate cross-border conflict. Such cultural aspects include circumcision, marriage, Moranism/Abamura and traditional religion. Lastly, the summary of the findings, recommendations, suggestions for further research and contribution to literature are presented. The findings of the study revealed that the rites of passage, Moranism/Abamura and religious beliefs contributed to cross-border conflicts between the Maasai and Kuria.

Векторы интеграции и дезинтеграции Азиатской России: перспективы будущего и дискуссия о настоящем

The article raises the problem of the lack of strategic planning in relation to the development of territories in the east of Russia. The author highlights the special status of the Siberian macro-region in terms of the integrity of the Russian Federation as well as the heuristic value of the concept “Asian Russia”, referring to the geopolitical risks of the early 20th century. The author analyses the challenges of its development that have not been overcome so far. These include the geographical remoteness of the center from the territorially vast periphery, the social alienation of the provinces from the capital enclaves, and the cultural distance between representatives of different ethnic groups. The resources of human potential in the east of Russia, the civilizational multi-vector nature of its Ural-Siberian core, and the stability of interethnic communities are designated as opportunities for the accelerated development of the macroregion. The methodological basis of the study is the concept of V.L. Tsymbursky “Island of Russia”. On the basis of Rosstat data and the discursive analysis of the “Strategy for the socio-economic development of the Siberian Federal District until 2035”, the risks of underestimation of human capital for the future of Asian Russia and the country as a whole are shown. The main management risk in the long term may be the focus on “raw materials” specialization, which threatens to depopulate vast areas. It is concluded that there is no alternative to a real “turn to the East” and the accelerated development of the Asian regions of Russia as the core of the “Great Eurasia” project.

I'll be there for you: coopetition and competitor-oriented activities among South Asian restaurants in two UK regional clusters

PurposeThis study investigates how a competitor orientation (knowledge of and acting on competitors' strengths and weaknesses) facilitates coopetition activities (collaboration with competitors), within networks of competing micro-sized, independent, family restaurants, owned by entrepreneurs from ethnic minority backgrounds.Design/methodology/approachAn instrumental case study features data collected from interviews with 30 owners (as key informants) of micro-sized, independent, family-owned restaurants, in two urban clusters within the Midlands (UK). Specifically, the context involves restaurants offering South Asian cuisine and where the owner originated from the Indian sub-continent (Bangladesh, India or Pakistan). Secondary data were collected wherever possible. These two clusters (not named for ethics reasons) are highly populated by members of these respective ethnic communities; also, they contain a relatively large number of restaurants offering South Asian cuisine.FindingsA competitor orientation facilitated strong coopetition-oriented partnerships comprised of extended family and intra-community members that helped enhance individual firms' performance, maintained family employment and sustained their cluster. It also helped owners develop subtle counter strategies where weak ties existed, such as via inter-community networks. For example, strategies attracted customers that were not loyal to a particular restaurant, or indeed, sub-ethnic cuisine (within Bangladesh, India or Pakistan, like the Punjab region). Subtle as opposed to outright counter strategies minimised retaliation, since restaurant owners wanted to avoid price wars, or spreading misinformation where the reputation of a cluster may suffer alongside the likely survival of individual businesses within that regional cluster.Originality/valueMixed evidence exists in earlier studies regarding the competitive rivalry in certain sectors where ethnic minority ownership is prominent; not least, restaurants located in regional clusters. However, this investigation considers the notion – what if some of these earlier studies are wrong? More specifically, does certain prior research under-represent the extent that rival entrepreneurs of an ethnic minority origin collaborate rather than compete for mutually beneficial purposes? New evidence emerges regarding ways in which a competitor orientation can influence the performance-enhancing nature of coopetition activities among business owners originating from both intra and inter-ethnic communities.

Институциональные трансформации и проекты развития Арктики и Севера: опыт экспертизы проектов человеческого развития этносоциологами Новосибирского научного центра

The article is devoted to the scientific expertise of human development projects in the North in the late Soviet and early post-Soviet periods of the institutional transformation of Russian society. Despite the fact that its official goal was the further development of the Soviet project among the peoples of the North, in essence, the researchers, in alliance with the authorities, searched for a balance between the mobilization (planned) and market strategies for the development of the Arctic and the North. The purpose of the article is to introduce into wide scientific circulation the results of research in the circumpolar zone of the RSFSR, carried out by ethnosociologists of the Novosibirsk Scientific Center (NSC) from 1982 to 1991 and later. The relevance of this work is brought to life by the desire of the state that emerged in 2010 to use market institutions in the implementation of plans for the development of the polar zone of the Russian Federation. This paper presents materials on the activities of the Regional Interdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Comprehensive Socio-Economic, Medical, Biological and Linguistic Research on the Problems of the Development of the Peoples of the North, established in 1981 on the basis of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The tasks and functions of the Commission are described in detail. Among the key issues of its activities were the problems of labor and employment of the peoples of Siberia, the preservation of the traditional economy and native language, mass education and access to social benefits, the development of transport infrastructure and quality housing. Although the focus of the Commission’s work remained the study of the situation of the indigenous peoples of the North and Siberia, these problems were considered in a wide range of issues of developing the national economy, gaining access to the social benefits of late socialism in the paradigm of ‘the flourishing and rapprochement of nations’. With the liquidation of the Commission in the early post-Soviet period, researchers focused on studying the consequences of radical market reforms in the interethnic communities of the North of Siberia: the archaization of everyday practices, the decline in the living standards of the population, and the revitalization of ethnic self-organization structures. It is concluded that in future ‘northern’ projects, it is necessary to combine the mobilization and market strategies for the development of the Arctic.

Three Accounts—Two World Wars—One Town: Narratives of War and Genocide in Eastern Galicia

This article belongs to the special cluster, “Biographies of Belonging in the Holocaust”, guest-edited by Natalia Aleksiun and Hana Kubátová. This article argues for using personal accounts in reconstructing the inner lives of interethnic communities in Eastern Europe in times of crisis. Focusing on the Eastern Galician town of Buczacz as representative of numerous other such communities, it also suggests that the events of the Holocaust must be seen within the larger context of coexistence and violence since 1914. After briefly examining the relevant historiography, the article turns to a close analysis of the diary of a Polish headmaster, written in 1914–1922; the World War II diary of a Ukrainian gymnasium teacher, and recollections of the Holocaust by a Jewish radio technician, composed in 1947. All three men lived in Buczacz; all three wanted their accounts to be read by others, but they are only now being made available to the public by the author. Each provides a strikingly different perspective: that of a Polish nationalist educator whose sons were fighting to create an independent Poland; that of a Ukrainian activist who resented Polish rule and Jewish influence but felt ambivalent about wartime and genocide profiteering by fellow Ukrainians; and that of a young Jew who meticulously recorded both collaboration and rescue by his gentile neighbors and ended up fighting in a local Polish partisan unit. And yet, seen together, these personal narratives shed light on aspects of mass violence in that region largely missing from more general or nationally oriented histories.

VISIÓN GEOPOLÍTICA DE LA AMAZONÍA PERUANA Y SU IMPACTO SOCIAL, ECONÓMICO Y POLÍTICO

The Peruvian Amazon is the holder of a series of natural resources that are the nation’s economic source, representing a living habitat for a series of indigenous communities, abundant flora and fauna, and a series of rivers that make up the Amazon River. Based on its importance, this article’s main objective was to deter-mine if there is a geopolitical strategy of the State aimed at protecting the Peruvian Amazon with respect to the social, economic and political impact it generates in Peru. The research was of a theoretical-empirical type, qualitative approach, and the research method was hermeneutical-interpretive. The population was made up of 43 investigations and 13 scientific articles, in addition to testimonies related to the international geopolitical vision. The sample consisted of 20 scientific investigations regarding the geopolitical vision of the Amazon in the social, economic and political fields, as well as the testimony of three experts in the field. Regarding the data collection techniques, the documentary analysis and the semi-structured interview were applied, using the registration sheets and the interview guide as instruments. It was found that the economic potential of this region makes it more attractive, since there is a potential in natural resources; Furthermore, the sense of belonging of the different indigenous and inter-ethnic communities and respect for their modus vivendus was evident, therefore, natural resources should be used harmoniously without harming the envi-ronment. It was concluded that the Peruvian Amazon has an important and essential role for the State due to its economic potential; However, there is still an Amazonian regional vacuum without sustainable develo-pment and with a greater impact on human development indices, as well as an empirical state without clear actions and policies to position itself geopolitically in the Amazon.

Model Minority (Tres)Passing in the BLM Age: Asian Stereotypes as Subversive Strategy for Combating Anti-Blackness in Yamamoto’s “A Fire in Fontana” and Ty Pak’s “The Court Interpreter”

Refracted through the lens of the current BLM movement and the resultant exposé of the longstanding history of anti-Blackness, this essay reexamines two narratives grounded in the historical junctures of interethnic racial turbulence: Hisaye Yamamoto’s “A Fire in Fontana,” spanning the 1945 racist murder of a Black family by arson to the 1965 Watts uprising, and Ty Pak’s “The Court Interpreter,” a fictional tale closely mirroring the 1991 Latasha Harlin murder case and the ensuing 1992 Los Angeles unrest. This essay foregrounds the trope of passing to imagine Asian model minority stereotype as a kind of (tres)passing that can potentially expose and explode instances of anti-Blackness both within interethnic communities and in the larger dominant culture.

DESIGN OF ETHNOCULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE CONTEXT OF ETHNOSOCIAL DYNAMICS

The author substantiates the idea of the influence of ethnosocial processes on the dynamics and design of eth-nocultural diversity. It is determinedby the quantitative and qualitative composition of interacting ethnosocial subjects as carriers of ethnocultures, as well as their place in the interethnic community. The expansion and com-plication of ethnocultural diversity makes it relevant to form a more complex management mechanism than in homogeneous structures, otherwise it becomes a threat to the successful development of a community at different levels of its organization.

KEY STAGES OF FORMATION INTERETHNIC COMMUNITY OF NOVOSIBIRSK

The article presents the main trends in the ethnic dynamics of the city of Novosibirsk since its foundation. Some historical prerequisites for the formation of large ethnic diasporas on the territory of the modern Novosibirsk region are also given. The influence of significant historical events in the country and the world on the formation of the interethnic community of the city is shown. Special attention is paid to the vectors of ethnic dynamics in their semantic connection with historical events.

Ritual folk vocal art of Ukrainians of Northern Moldova: Transformation and Modification Processes

One of the most important tasks of modern Ukrainian ethnomusicology is fixation and study of traditional musical culture not only in our country but also abroad: in Ukrainian ethnographic lands aswell as in remote corners of other countries, where Ukrainians are compactly settled. Considerable scientific progress has already been made in this area.Today we have a number of scientific achievements on the materials of traditional music of Ukrainians in the north of Moldova. However, the problem of presenting a more detailed melotypological picture of traditional, in particular ceremonial and especially vocal creativity, that still exists in these areas in active or at least passive forms, remains relevant.Given this, most typical ritual melodies of Ukrainians of northern Moldova, recorded by O. Kharchyshyn and N. Pastukh during 2005-2009 in 41 villages and two cities of ten districts of the region and submitted to collection Folklore of Ukrainians in northern Moldova: songs and recitatives,arethe object of this research.Also considered is a number of melodies, which transcripts were provided for musical editing by the authors of this study, but were not included in the collection. Melotypes of folk vocal works, which serve the calendar and family-ritual genre cycles are subject of study. The main goal is to determine the modification and transformation processes in the analyzed melotypes, to identify what is common and different in comparison to the analogues of Ukrainian traditional music in general.Almost the entire genre spectrum of ceremonial folk vocal melodies inherent in Ukrainian traditional music culture has been recorded in Moldova: carols (kolyadka, shchedrivka), malanka, spring songs (haivkas), Kupala, baptismal, wedding, mourning and funeral songs. Ukrainians in Moldova have both child and adult folk music culture.The present state of life of folk vocal works of Ukrainians in the north of Moldova from the ethnomusicological point of view generally testifies to the typological commonality with the traditional folk music culture of the Ukrainian people. The unity of this culture is manifested even in common modification and transformation processes of typical musical-rhythmic forms and their components. Of course, there is a slight difference, as a result of assimilation transformations caused by foreign nation influences and, accordingly, the gradual loss of ethnic identity.Therefore, Ukrainians of Moldova were not only able to preserve the achievements of their nation in the development of traditional musical culture (often only in passive memory, however, and, of course, with minor elements of assimilative influence, which is manifested primarily in intonation melodic inversions and inter-ethnic community of melotypes), but also to multiply them through the assimilation and cultivation of foreign ethnic sacramental acquisitions. As a result, they were able to create their own unique multi-vector folk music style.

The influence of interethnic relations on cross-border cooperation

The research is based on the features of the influence of interethnic relations on the development of cross-border cooperation. It is noted that, provided effective ethno-national policies are implemented, multi-ethnic border regions have the advantage that national communities facilitate cross-border cooperation, and they often act as intermediaries in inter-regional relations. It has been proven that interethnic relations have a significant impact on the development of cross-border cooperation, in particular the importance of local authorities and national governments, which have a significant role to play in the issues of inter-ethnic relations in the region. It is argued that in the development of cross-border cooperation, greater emphasis should be placed on programs and projects aimed at improving the coexistence and development of national minorities in the border regions where they are most often living compactly, in particular representatives of national minorities; as a factor of European integration. For the successful development of cross-border cooperation, it is important to understand the needs and interests of the ethnic communities of a particular region, and to take into account historical, cultural factors. It is noted that the integration model is effective in the development of cross-border cooperation, since it enables different ethnic groups and national minorities to maintain their national identity, as well as to participate in regional and inter-state cooperation. Each interethnic community in Europe has its own peculiarities, and therefore the general list of recommendations included in the European Charter does not list the granting of large permits to municipal regions. However, these documents formed the basis for cross-border cooperation in European regions, and the provisions contained therein strengthened activities in this field. An important fact is that most inter-ethnic cooperation activities are within the structures of the European Union. The most common term is "territorial cooperation" or "cross-border cooperation", which are understood as different types of cooperation programs. These programs support the promotion and implementation of joint projects of an international nature throughout the European Union and its neighbors. A specific form of cross-border cooperation is Euroregional. Its characteristic feature is the institutionalization of cross-border cooperation structures. These structures may be: interethnic associations, councils, secretariats, committees, working groups, etc. Euroregional cooperation is carried out within the Euroregion. The Euroregion can be seen as a formal structure of cooperation, adopted on the basis of agreements between interethnic local and regional authorities in order to deepen economic and social cooperation. It is emphasized that the European experience of using the opportunities of cooperation with national minorities in multiethnic regions is of great importance for Ukraine, in particular, the work of the Council of Europe, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), the Association of European Border Regions, which receive considerable attention, is useful. national minorities in the development of cross-border cooperation. European experience demonstrates that, with proper organization of state policy and historical experience, the involvement of ethnic groups in cross-border cooperation can have a positive impact. Interethnic cooperation promotes political stability and reduces tensions in border areas, and has a positive impact on economic cooperation, development of education, science and culture. It is proved that cross-border cooperation must take into account the nature of ethno-political relations in the border regions, promote the provision of conditions for the development of ethno-cultural characteristics of national minorities and develop mechanisms of interethnic interaction, cooperation of local authorities and public organizations of national minorities.

Municipal interethnic community in the view of national policy: sociocultural management model

Municipal interethnic community in the view of national policy: sociocultural management model

Модель социокультурного мониторинга городского межэтнического сообщества в реализации национальной политики на муниципальном уровне

<p class="5"><span>Статья является откликом на обозначенную в новой редакции 2018 г. Стратегии государственной национальной политики Российской Федерации на период до 2025 г. актуализацию роли муниципального управления в ее реализации. Выделяется серия концептуальных вопросов национальной политики, не нашедших отражения в ее доктринальном источнике. Среди них вопрос об объекте национальной политики и ее базовом мониторинге. Отстаивается идея о том, что этносоциальные процессы, а не только межнациональные (межэтнические) отношения и конфликты следует рассматривать в качестве комплексного объекта национальной политики. </span></p><p class="5"><span>Носителем этносоциальных процессов и одновременно элементарной единицей исследования и регулирующего воздействия в рамках национальной политики на муниципальном уровне должно рассматриваться межэтническое сообщество в целом как некоторое комплексное интегрированное образование, которое исторически складывается в результате межэтнических взаимодействий. Обосновывается потребность организации модели социокультурного мониторинга городского межэтнического сообщества как значимого элемента в механизме реализации национальной политики на муниципальном уровне, учитывающей ее не только текущие (тактические), но и стратегические задачи по диагностике и прогнозированию долгосрочных тенденций этносоциального развития. Предлагается система показателей социокультурного мониторинга городского межэтнического сообщества. Его концептуальная схема предусматривает учет комплекса социальных, культурных и личностных компонентов, что не рассматривается в качестве составляющих в существующих мониторинговых исследованиях. Данная модель имеет динамичный характер. С помощью такого мониторинга можно отслеживать динамику и сдвиги на социокультурной карте города, а также осуществлять социокультурное моделирование межэтнического пространства.</span></p>

Ethnoculture and Economics: A Synergy of Possibilities

This article surveys the conceptual assumptions behind research into the connection between ethnocultural diversity and the social mechanisms of economic life. It identifies ideas from the classics of political economy on this particular topic with special emphasis on the nation-centric, which documents the decisive impact of climate conditions, type of economy, cultural specifics, and unique features of the national character on the economic specialization of nations. It considers ethnocultural diversity as an additional economic resource. It identifies ecological–economic ideas about the stability and productivity of ecological communities, which it uses to interpret the role of ethnocultural diversity in the socioeconomic development of interethnic communities and in ensuring their social stability and economic productivity. By analyzing a geographically localized economy as an interethnic community, it draws conclusions about the beneficial effects of ethnocultural diversity on economic development and interethnic relations, provided that foreign ethnocultural groups are successfully integrated into the host community.

The spirit underneath: development, race and moral economy in Central Mozambique

Abstract Since 2007, Tete, a province in central Mozambique, has been experiencing an economic boom. Multinational mining companies are exploring one of the world’s largest - and virtually untouched - coal deposits. Led by Brazilian-based multinational Vale, the controversial billionaire investment plans caught the attention of international NGOs and cooperation agencies that flooded Tete province with development and democracy-building projects. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Tete are suspicious. People in Tete have encountered various exogenous populations since pre-colonial times and are extremely familiar with the methodology of development organizations. However, the current "developmental and democratic times" pose an intriguing question to them: can we develop? To clarify this existential question - that has deep spiritual and racial implications - the article discusses the nature of inter-ethnic political community in the Zambezi Valley, correlating it with the region’s pre-colonial and colonial history.

Socio-Cultural Monitoring of Urban Inter-Ethnic Community: Methodology, Methods, Practice. Monograph. Ed. by Yu. Popkov. Novosibirsk: NGTU, 2018. 347 p. Reviewed by L.B. Chetyrova

Socio-Cultural Monitoring of Urban Inter-Ethnic Community: Methodology, Methods, Practice. Monograph. Ed. by Yu. Popkov. Novosibirsk: NGTU, 2018. 347 p. Reviewed by L.B. Chetyrova

Социальное самочувствие межэтнического сообщества Новосибирска: опыт диагностики и его роль в муниципальном управлении

The social well-being of people of different nationalities is considered as an important component of the ethno-social situation and the qualitative characteristics of the urban inter-ethnic community. Such a community is justified as a significant object of ethnic policy at the municipal level. Based on the generalization of the results of mass sociological polls conducted under the leadership of the author, the paper describes the social well-being of the population of Novosibirsk: the level of general well-being and degree of satisfaction with certain aspects of life, identity, state and dynamics of inter-ethnic relations, as they are seen by different ethnic groups. It records, on the one hand, the existence of favorable social well-being and a benevolent attitude of the majority of residents towards members of other ethnic groups and, on the other hand, certain anxieties related to the social status of residents and the development of inter-ethnic relations in recent years. The author also highlights the tasks of the municipal government that are solved by monitoring the social well-being of the urban inter-ethnic community.

Социокультурные детерминанты этнонациональной политики (на примере Новосибирска)

<p>В статье анализируется межэтническая ситуация и состояние межэтнических отношений в городе Новосибирске. Население города представляется как межэтническое сообщество — целостный социокультурный объект, элементы которого (этнические группы) одновременно интегрированы в сообщество, но сохраняют свою этнокультурную отличительность. Целью статьи является выделение комплекса социокультурных детерминант — значимых для сообщества факторов этносоциальной жизни, которые задают направление развития межэтнического сообщества. Отмечено, что, так как эти детерминанты оказывают значимое влияние на гармоничность межэтнических отношений в пространстве города, их выявление и анализ имеют особое значение для этнонациональной политики муниципального уровня.</p><p>Проанализированы результаты экспертного опроса, проведенного в Новосибирске в 2016–2017 гг. К социокультурным детерминантам отнесены, во-первых, сложности социально-экономического плана, которые формируют чувство незащищенности у принимающего сообщества и снижают уровень его толерантности к иноэтничным мигрантам. Во-вторых, анклавизационный процесс, который исключает места компактного расселения мигрантов из системы социально-культурного обмена. В-третьих, в качестве детерминанты, ставшей причиной ряда проблем в области межэтнических отношений, рассмотрена ограниченная эффективность мер, принимаемых административными структурами города для налаживания коммуникации между принимающим населением и диаспорами.</p><p>Проведенный анализ позволил заключить, что для гармонизации межэтнических отношений в городе следует повышать общий уровень благосостояния населения, наблюдать за изменениями в этнотерриторальной структуре города и искать принципиально новые механизмы коммуникации принимающего населения и мигрантов. Акцентировано, что для повышения своей эффективности муниципальная этнонациональная политика должна рассматривать в качестве объекта межэтническое сообщество в целом и учитывать широкий комплекс социокультурных детерминант, влияющих на его развитие.</p>

Demensi Etnik dalam Kerukunan Umat Beragama di Kota Pontianak Provinsi Kalimantan Barat

A study of qualitative research with data obtained from interviews, in-depth observation, and literature study was conducted in Pontianak City, West Kalimantan Province, describes the general social interaction in Pontianak City that leads to an associative form of interaction, although there is also a potential that leads to dissociative. Assositive interactions include accommodation in the form of a fairly tolerant attitude of religious life; assimilation in the form of cultural assimilation, especially the assimilation between religion and culture that strengthens the relationship of two things, and which strengthens the relationship between families, where cultural interaction strengthens inter-citizen harmony, especially among religious followers; as well as cooperation in the implementation of cultural activities antaretnik. However, dissociative interactions also occur that is the emergence of competition in the form of contradictions. The social systems in Pontianak influence the harmony between religious and inter-ethnic communities. These social systems are social systems built from ethnic Malay, Dayak, Bugis, Madurese, Javanese, and other ethnic groups. The process of working the social system on interethnic religious harmony in Pontianak City, West Kalimantan Province due to the diversity of ethnic groups that can have positive and negative impacts. Positive influence because strengthening the unity of ethnic intern and its negative influence is able to bring up the problem.