3.5 Interethnic relations, ethnosocial conflicts, ways to resolve them

The topic “Ethnosocial conflicts (Interethnic conflicts and ways to resolve them)” is very difficult to study in the social studies course for the 11th grade. Since ethnosocial conflicts often come up on the Unified State Exam, let’s look at this topic in more detail. To begin with, we recommend that you remember a brief outline of the topic that you will need when completing task 28 of the Unified State Exam in social studies.

Brief outline of the lecture ETHNOSOCIAL CONFLICTS (INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS AND WAYS TO THEIR RESOLUTION) (based on task 28 of the Unified State Exam in social studies)

1. The concept of interethnic conflict.

2. Causes of ethnic conflicts:

• inequality in living standards;
• territorial disputes;
• belonging to different religions;
• different representation in prestigious professions, social strata, government bodies, etc.

3. Nationalism as a manifestation of interethnic conflicts and its types:

• ethnic (protective);
• sovereign-state;
• household, etc.

4. Forms of nationalism:

• racism;
• chauvinism;
• genocide;
• apartheid;
• xenophobia.

5. Ways to resolve interethnic conflicts in the 21st century:

• recognition of the existence of interethnic problems;
• mutual concessions and unconditional implementation of the rights and freedoms of persons of any nationality;
• negotiations based on mutual respect and the desire to find compromise solutions;
• use of economic levers to normalize the situation, etc.

The concept of ethnosocial conflict

Before dealing with the big problem, let us turn to the definition of the concept of ethnosocial conflicts (interethnic conflicts).

Ethnosocial (interethnic) conflict is one of the forms of relations between national communities, characterized by a state of mutual claims, open confrontation between ethnic groups, peoples and nations.

Ethnic differentiation in the modern world occurs in different forms. For example, after the collapse of the USSR, about a dozen new states emerged. An ethnic conflict is always a big contradiction, and contradictions of a different nature, ranging from petty everyday issues to historical and religious disputes.

Forms of conflicts

There are several basic civilized and uncivilized forms of conflict. This can be either discrimination based on nationality or religion, or open clashes leading to mass unrest and local wars. It is customary to distinguish the following forms and types of interethnic conflicts:

• local separatist and civil wars;
• mass riots with gross violation of individual rights;
• religious fundamentalism.

The latter is the most dangerous, since differences in religion often lead to mass riots and ethnic cleansing. Subsequently, solving such problems and reconciling warring nations can be extremely difficult, and often even impossible.

Causes of ethnic conflicts

Every nation lives in certain socio-economic and political realities. Some peoples have a large territory (for example, Russians, Chinese, Indians, etc.), while some peoples historically did not have enough territory (we all remember that the First and Second World Wars began partly because the Germans complained how they lack of living space). Therefore, one of the main reasons for the outbreak of ethnic conflicts is territorial reasons.

Sometimes big conflicts break out over wealth, over the possibility of mastering certain resources. Such reasons are usually referred to as economic disputes and claims . The economic causes of ethno-social conflicts are also manifested in the fact that states “fight” for markets, colonial centers, etc. Such, for example, was the rivalry between England and France in the 18th century, which manifested itself during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).

There are also special social reasons . For example, an oppressed population demands equality of rights and freedoms. Typically, these problems concern visiting migrants, who often blame the governments of national states for the lack of equality during employment, admission to college, academy or university.

Conflicts on cultural grounds are also common in the modern world. Differences in everyday life and lifestyles often pit representatives of different ethnic groups against each other. For example, today there are frequent protests from the European and American communities against Chinese dog food festivals. Or protests against the Arab rules for women to wear the hijab, which is often perceived as an absurd relic or an infringement of women based on gender. These contradictions are difficult to resolve, because They are based on centuries-old customs and traditions that have come face to face in an era of global peace.

There are a number of additional problems that can lead to large or small ethnosocial (interethnic) conflict:

• Different standard of living
• Discrepancy between state or administrative boundaries and the boundaries of settlement of peoples.
• Belonging to different religions and confessions, differences in attitudes towards religions
• Insufficient, from the point of view of the ethnic minority, use of its language and culture in public life.
• Deterioration in the quality of the environment as a result of its pollution or depletion of natural resources due to use by representatives of a different ethnic group.
• Past relationships between peoples, long-standing conflicts throughout history

For the emergence of interethnic conflicts, a certain shift in the usual way of life is necessary, the destruction of the value system, people’s feelings of confusion and discomfort, doom and even loss of the meaning of life; the ethnic factor comes to the fore in the regulation of intergroup relations in society; the ethnic factor is brought to the fore as an older one, performing the function of group survival; social identification occurs based on origin, based on blood.

History also knows cases of the spread of great-state nationalism. For example, at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. Alexander the Third and Nicholas the Second pursued a policy of Russification aimed at inculcating Russian culture, way of life, language, and religion in Poland, the Baltic states and Finland. This policy not only failed, but also caused a significant rejection of Russian culture, the development of Russophobia in these territories of the Russian Empire, largely because it was “implanted” by the force of the state and its coercive apparatus.

Possible prerequisites

The success of resolving existing conflicts will largely depend on the correct determination of the cause of their occurrence . Most often, this is a serious deformation in national politics, as well as dissatisfaction with the situation of a nation or group of people that has accumulated over many decades. Sometimes even the slightest spark is enough for a bloody conflict to break out, which will be extremely difficult to resolve in the future.

Typically, interethnic conflicts manifest themselves against the backdrop of a deteriorating economic situation in the country; experts even provide graphs and tables of the direct relationship between the growth of tension and the state of households. This leads to social dissatisfaction when one group or nation receives certain privileges from the state, while another community is forced to endure the hardships and deprivations of poverty. A classic example of interethnic conflicts are wars in Africa, which arise against the background of a depressed economy and poverty of the population.

In post-Soviet countries, the causes of conflicts are the artificiality of creating separate states, the ossification of the governance structure, as well as the reluctance to see and solve problems that can lead to numerous national or ethnic clashes and general tension.

Another reason for the development of interethnic state conflicts is the historical factor. In the past, different ethnic groups could fight for territory and were dependent on each other, which led to restrictions on rights, infringement of national interests, traditions, culture and language. Today, when such nations find themselves in the conditions of one country and compact residence, historical relationships and past problems are not forgotten, they are gradually smoldering, and the slightest reason is enough for the development of a clash or even a full-scale war.

Xenophobia

Dislike for someone or something alien; perception of someone else's as unpleasant. Elevated to the rank of a worldview, it can become a cause of hostility based on the principle of national, religious or social division of people.

Global mass phobias based on xenophobia arise in the modern era. The “great xenophobias” were formed in Europe, but took on a global character and spread not only to the countries of the “European world.” By the beginning of the 20th century, the “great xenophobia” included the concepts of the “world Jewish conspiracy” and the “yellow peril.” Moreover, these two phobias could merge into one world conspiracy theory.

Thus, the far-right Russian politician Vladimir Purishkevich stated that Jews are deliberately sabotaging the fight against the looming “yellow danger” in order to undermine the power of Russia, and Mikhail Menshikov stated that Jews and Chinese are united by “economic parasitism” and “the ancient claim of Asia to own us.”

Ways to overcome the problem

The difficulty of resolving interethnic and racial problems is that universal approaches in such cases simply do not exist . World experience shows that such situations are easier and more effective to resolve through peaceful means. A forceful solution will only be effective as long as troops are brought into the region to ensure complete security in the city or in a separate region. But as soon as the forces of law and order leave the rebellious problem region, the conflict will flare up again with the same force.

One of the options for solving the problem is separation, that is, deconsolidation of forces. As part of this work, radical groups and elements are cut off, supporting parties that are prone to negotiations and compromises. Attempts are being made to interrupt the conflict by signing a temporary truce between the warring parties. This allows you to reduce the intensity of passions and reduce the emotional background of the confrontation.

To prevent interethnic and international conflicts, peace negotiations are held , in which both warring parties and third forces can participate, acting as a guarantor of the implementation of all agreements reached.

Initially, vital needs are discussed, and later the negotiation process addresses social, economic and everyday issues. This is the only way to overcome the aggravation and solve possible problems.

Only with an integrated approach to preventing interethnic conflicts, the solutions and plan of which are approved by all parties, will it be possible to avoid mass unrest, the development of religious fundamentalism and local wars. At the same time, the solution developed must take into account the interests of all parties involved. In the future, after reaching consensus and peace, a complete revision of regulations and legislation that regulates the lives of citizens involved in interethnic clashes in Russia and Europe is often required.

Apartheid

Until the last decade of the 20th century. South Africa was dominated by apartheid, a system of forced racial segregation. Under apartheid, everyone in South Africa fell into one of four categories: white (descendants of European immigrants), “colored” (people whose ancestors were members of more than one “race”), Asian and black. A minority of white South Africans, making up about 13% of the population, ruled over the non-white majority. Non-whites had no voting rights and were not represented in the central government. Segregation was required at all levels of society, from public spaces such as toilets and railroad cars to residential neighborhoods and schools. Millions of black residents of the country were herded into so-called homelands - reservations away from the main cities - and worked as temporary workers in the gold and diamond mines, wandering from place to place.

Possible solutions

Interethnic conflicts can be avoided if we begin to conduct peaceful negotiations and use the language of diplomacy. At the initial stage, the contradictions that arise are easy to prevent. To do this, people in power and government politicians can actually stop national discrimination of one people over another and achieve regulation in the construction of interpersonal relations. The most effective way to suppress various conflicts lies in the ideology of mutual understanding and unity. The people will learn to live in harmony and peace when the strong support the weak, and individual people begin to respect and appreciate the differences and values ​​of others.

Most interethnic disagreements can be stopped much earlier than they begin to become widespread. The government needs to take the right position in a timely manner, acting with established solutions, taking into account the historical facts of such incidents and the advice of third parties who want to help in overcoming the conflict situation. Instead of strengthening the negative attitude of the social masses of one group of the population towards another, it is necessary to act in the opposite direction, trying to restore the lost peaceful situation using the right methods. Thus, the situation will be resolved without the progression of the conflict and possible negative consequences in the form of deaths of civilians.

Genocide

These are actions committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, any national, ethnic, racial, religious or other historically established cultural and ethnic group as such by:

• killings of members of this group;
• causing serious harm to their health;
• measures designed to prevent childbearing in such a group;
• removal of children from the family;
• deliberate creation of living conditions calculated to bring about the complete or partial physical destruction of this group.

Since 1948, genocide has been recognized by the UN as an international crime.

Basic concept

Experts in the field of international relations in resolving the definitions of conflicts between populations have agreed on a common definition.

Interethnic conflicts are acute confrontation , rivalry and fierce competition between people of different cultures and nationalities.

In such situations, two sides defend a certain point of view, trying to achieve their own rights. The problem can be resolved peacefully by reaching an agreement between both parties if they are equal.

However, most often it is the most vulnerable and weak side that suffers, which can be overpowered and dominated in a conflict between peoples already involved in hostilities.

Often this dispute includes the so-called “third force” that supports this or that state. War or armed conflict becomes inevitable when the intermediary country pursues its goal. However, military conflict and infringement of someone's rights can be avoided if the state agrees to diplomatic negotiations that can resolve the dispute , avoid bloodshed and come to peace.