Publisher's Synopsis
Recent geopolitical events demonstrate the tenacity and pervasiveness of ethnic conflict. This book deals with this all important issue focusing on the relationship between demography, economic development and ethnicity and the role of the state in that mix. The introductory chapter reviews the existing theoretical models and provides a conceptual framework for the case studies that follow.;A common theme that emerges from the various case studies is the tendency for multi-ethnic societies to split along ethnic lines when subjected to extreme social and economic pressures stemming from rapid population growth and a relative scarcity of resources to meet the rising expectations of the people. However, the two chapters on Northern Ireland offer an interesting comparison. Northern Ireland enjoys a much higher economic status than any of the third world countries discussed in the book, yet it is a relatively depressed area of Western Europe. The economic pressures that exists, the demographic mix of Catholics and Protestants together with the political system that was conditioned by a colonial past and the geography of the province provide all the ingredients for a bloody and protracted conflict. The stories of the third world case studies and those of Northern Ireland which share some common features, illustrate both the strength and weaknesses of general theories on the relationship between economic development and ethnic conflict.
