UPSC SOCIOLOGY MAINS – Paper 2 – Part C – Challenges of Social Transformation – Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
GS 1 – Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
GS 3 – Challenges to internal security.
- An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common heritage, culture, and/or language.
- Ethnicity refers to the identification of a group based on a perceived cultural distinctiveness that makes the group into a “people.” Concept of ethnicity is purely cultural and is sociologically used to distinguish from race.
- Ethnic Movements are manifestations of ethnic solidarity.
PAUL BRASS’S TYPES OF ETHNIC MOVEMENTS OR ETHNIC CONFLICTS
- Intra-ethnic – In this, there is a different ethnic identity within an umbrella ethnic identity and movement strives for the perceived separate benefits for its members. Eg: Shia-Sunni conflict.
- Inter-ethnic – Ethnic identity of one group is seen as completely different from others. Eg: Assamese against migrants.
- Ethnic group Vs State – Ethnic group sees its identity different from larger state Eg: Naga movement.
THE CAUSES FOR RISE OF ETHNIC MOVEMENTS OR ETHNIC CONFLICTS
- Economic factors and regional disparities.
- Relative deprivation.
- Votebank politics.
- Historical reasons like colonialism.
- Internal colonialism wherein dominant community exploits the minority community.
- External provocations like funding by enemy country to boost conflicts.
MANIFESTATIONS OF ETHNIC CONFICTS IN INDIA
- The challenge posed by ethnic groups in India have taken the form of (i) autonomy movements, (ii) secessionist movements, (iii) insurgency and (iv) violent conflicts on the basis of identity markers such as language, religion, tribe, caste, etc.
- In the Northeast region of India, ethnic conflicts have assumed secessionist and insurgent proportions.
- Another inter-ethnic conflict that has persisted in urban Indian politics is the one between the locals and the migrants.
- The Self-determination Movements like Khalistan Movement.
TRIBAL ETHNIC CONFLICTS
- Reactionary Movements – Tries to bring back the old traditions.
- Conservative Movements – Maintain status quo.
- Revolutionary Movements – Bring radical changes in tribal society.
ETHNO NATIONALISM
- Ethno-nationalism is a kind of sub-nationalism based upon ethnic identity of the ethnic groups.
- In short, ethno-nationalism is the nationalism of ethnic groups such as Muslim, Kurds, Latvians, Tamils etc., who define their nation in exclusive terms, mainly on the basis of
common descent, race, culture, history and language.
ETHNIC CLEANSING
- Ethnic cleansing is the most dreaded dimension of ethno-national conflict.
- In this type ethnic conflict, the indigenous ethnic group launches a genocide and/or expulsion of the foreigners (those who not originally belong to that state).
