Ir 252 Ethnic Politics Analysis

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Jonathan Tran IR 252—Ethnic Politics Final Paper Submission Date: 12/13/13 12:00PM Robert Putnam, S.I Wilkinson and R.H Bates each offer interesting and unique takes on how ethnic culture affects different faces of ethnicity. The different faces of ethnicity, as defined by David Laitin in Hemogony and Culture are Janus-faced. The first face of ethnicity is described by Laitin as a cultural group that acquires a sense of belonging and togetherness due to a tightly knit establishment linked by shared values, preferences and beliefs amongst the people within a group. The second face of ethnicity is described by Laitin as a group of people that use a common identity and set of values for political motives, that is groups linked together by…show more content…
He states that ethnic diversity is a stepping-stone for varying perspectives and even more skillsets to a particular population. As a result of this collection of ranging views and skillsets, society is perceived to unify and bond over these ideals rather than segregate from one another. “Diversity might actually reduce both in-group and out-group solidarity….both bonding and bridging together of social capital” (Putnam, 2007). In other words, a more self-less, unified and society is formed due to tolerance and acceptance of others ideals, preferences and values amongst co-ethnics and non co-ethnics. This idea plays well in hand with the principle that cultures and ethnic identities are formed with shared values and preferences. In Putnam’s multicultural society, co-ethnics and non co-ethnics each share their values and ideals amongst each other for a greater common good—the betterment of society. By contributing different skillsets and viewpoints, social capital in a particular population will increase over time, which ultimately increases trust beyond certain ethnic groups that will lead to even more cooperation and meshing between non co-ethnic groups in the…show more content…
In “Modernization, ethnic competition, and the rationality of politics in contemporary Africa”, Bates argues that modernization efforts by Western nations in Africa in particular have fueled ethnic rivalries and conflicts. Modernization has brought about many benefits such as new resources, work and labor, and marketable goods that are available to the population. The only problem with modernization is that the goods that come with this revolution are very limited, meaning that they’re not accessible to everyone (Bates,
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