Ethnic Violence - Probable Causes

Probable Causes

There are a variety of potential causes for ethnic violence. Research by the New England Complex Systems Institute has shown that violence results when ethnic groups are partially mixed: neither clearly separated enough to reduce contact nor thoroughly mixed enough to build common bonds. According to Dr. May Lim, a researcher affilaited with NECSI, "Violence normally occurs when a group is large enough to impose cultural norms on public spaces, but not large enough to prevent those norms from being broken. Usually this occurs in places where boundaries between ethnic or cultural groups are unclear."

This theory also states that the minimum requirement for ethnic tensions to result in ethnic violence on a systemic level is a heterogeneous society and the lack of a power to prevent them from fighting. In the ethnic conflicts that erupted after the end of the Cold War, this lack of outer controls is seen as the cause; Since there was no longer a strong centralized power (in the form of the USSR) to control the various ethnic groups, they then had to provide defense for themselves. This implies that once ethnicity is established, there needs to be strong distinctions, otherwise violence is inevitable.

Another theory supports that a general feeling of lack of security can cause ethnic violence, when paired with proximity to other ethnic groups. This can eventually lead to distrust of the other ethnic groups, which leads to an unwillingness to peacefully coexist with the other ethnic groups.

The emotions that tend to cause ethnic tensions, which can lead to ethnic violence, are fear, hate, resentment, and rage.Individual identities might change throughout the years, but strong emotional issues can lead to a desire to fulfill those needs above all other concerns. This strong desire to satisfy individual needs, without harming your own group, can have violent results.

Assuming that ethnic groups can be defined as a group of people who band together to protect material goods, while satisfying the need to feel a part of a group, violence resulting from ethnicity can be a result of a violation of either of these. However, this also requires that there was no peaceful solution.

Another theory states that ethnic violence is the result of past tensions. Referring to the other ethnic group based solely on their previous offences tends to increase the probability of future violence. This is referenced in the literature on ethnic violence that tends to focus on areas that have already had a history of ethnic violence, instead of comparing them with areas that have had peaceful ethnic relations.

Ethnic violence obviously does not exist in exactly the same conditions in every example. Where one case of ethnic violence might result in a drawn out genocide, another might result in a race riot. Different issues lead to different levels of intensity of violence. The problem mainly comes down to issues of group security. In situations where offensive and defensive actions are indistinguishable to outsiders, and the offensive actions are more effective in insuring group survival, then violence is sure to be present and harsh. This view of ethnic violence placed risk in areas where members of ethnic groups feel insecure about their future, not as a result of emotional tensions.

Ethnic violence often occurs as a result of individual domestic disputes spiraling out of control to large scale conflicts. When individual disputes occur between two members of different ethnic groups, they can either result in peace or result in further violence. Peace is more likely when the offended person feels their offender will be punished sufficiently in their own ethnic group. Or peace is achieved simply through the fear of greater ethnic violence. If either the belief of retribution or the fear of violence is not present, then ethnic violence may occur.