Research

Research Approach

CRISE is studying multiethnic societies, investigating why some experience political instability and violent conflict, and others maintain the stability necessary for the promotion of human security, including sustainable growth and poverty reduction. A particular focus is on how ethnic inequality in access to political and economic resources, i.e. horizontal inequalities, affects political stability. The intended outcome of the research is to identify policies likely to promote inclusive development and stable political societies in ethnically diverse countries.

We define ethnicity broadly to encompass all significant perceived cultural differences between groups of people. Perceptions of difference in identity include those derived from ‘tribe’ or ‘clan’, from religious affiliation, or from race/colour. In many cases, several dimensions are present, sometimes reinforcing each other, sometimes leading to different categorisations. We recognise the contested nature of many of these concepts and the implications and complications involved. The constructed nature of many cultural distinctions, and their fluidity, has implications both for the research and for policy conclusions.

While we intend to investigate a wide range of causes of ethnic conflict, a major hypothesis to be investigated is that the existence of high horizontal inequalities makes conflict more likely, where horizontal inequalities are inequalities in political, economic and social resources among groups which perceive themselves as culturally differentiated.

Other issues to be explored include the impact on ethnic conflict of economic growth, income distribution and poverty, the type of political system in being and influences of the education and legal systems, human rights discourse and the media.

CRISE’s approach to answering these questions consists of a combination of:

In depth regional comparisons in three areas of the world:

SE Asia: Indonesia/Malaysia
West Africa: Nigeria/Ghana/Côte d’Ivoire
Latin America: Peru/Bolivia/ Guatemala

General analysis involving:
- Cross-country econometric investigations
- Theoretical and empirical analysis of political systems
- Investigation of educational, cultural and legal systems and policies

Ethnicity cuts across almost all dimensions of social existence, and therefore in both the country studies and the more general analysis we take a multidisciplinary approach including economics, political science, sociology, and anthropology.

Rationale for the selected research regions

SE Asia: Indonesia and Malaysia have been selected as societies with rich and contrasting historical experiences in policies and outcomes in relation to ethnic inequality and conflict. Both are large multi-ethnic countries belonging to the same so-called Malay world, with Islam a dominant religion. Recent history shows Indonesia as less successful than Malaysia in sustaining a stable multiethnic society.

West Africa: The Centre is analysing the comparative experiences of three West African countries.

Nigeria is a large multiethnic country, with a turbulent political history since independence, including major civil war, periods of military rule and democratisation, and imaginative experimentation with different constitutional designs aimed at containing conflict. Nevertheless, ethnic cleavages remain a critical problem and ethnic violence has erupted periodically.
In Côte d’Ivoire, violence has recently broken out after a long period of stability.
In Ghana, in many respects is similar to Cote D’Ivoire, has been comparatively peaceful.

Latin America: Here we will contrast the experience of Peru, Bolivia and Guatemala, each culturally heterogeneous and hierarchical societies.

In Bolivia, despite severe horizontal inequalities in both countries there was relatively little violent social conflict over much of the twentieth century. Indian peasants supported the 1952 revolution in Bolivia. Thereafter, the politics of ethnicity underwent cycles, from celebration to contestation, in a context of relative peace.
By contrast, in Peru, some social and political violence began in the 1950s. In the 1980s the eruption of Sendero Luminoso led to a decade of serious violence.
Of the three countries, Guatemala has had the longest and most serious conflict, in which the indigenous population suffered the worst, while the recent peace process has attempted to introduce more inclusive policies.

Practical Implications of the Research

We expect the findings of the Centre to change the way policies are perceived, challenging fundamental assumptions about the nature of policies and the role of key actors.

The conclusions will have strong practical implications for day-to-day policy-making. We aim to identify feasible policy options towards ethnically divided societies for governments and international agencies. Policies towards political systems, the economy at macro and meso levels, education, culture and legal systems will be covered. Some of the policies may be systemic (e.g. the design of political systems) but many will be pragmatic and detailed, e.g. towards public expenditure reviews, or the composition of the police-force.

Knowledge will be generated on the political feasibility of such policies; and on how to create an environment that generates inclusive policies. Our findings will feed into teaching and training, and, through dissemination activities, into the thinking of policy-makers.

A series of policy papers, undertaken at the start of the programme, permit us to identify and involve significant policy levers from the beginning of the research.

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