Genocide and Conflict Theory - Assignment Example

 GENOCIDE AND CONFLICT THEORY Name Institution Course Genocide and conflict theory Introduction Civil wars around the world are usually not similar. Conventionally, the characteristic of wars confers to the society from which they emerge from (Sambanis, 1). This document investigates and illustrates several genocide and conflict theories. According to (Burstein 1) a comprehensive theory of conflict is that which integrates several aspects. These are such as analysis of a state. He argues that such kind of a presentation gives more weight to dynamics as it equates conflict management to violent conflict. Theories that explain the causes of genocide (A. Oberschall, 180-181) The analysis of the causes of genocide is into five main categories. The first is Ancient Hatreds (AH). The AH theory takes the assumption that being a member of an ethnic group, ethnic boundaries is primordial and rigid. It concludes that is the cause of resistance to modernization and assimilation. Conflicts among communities and the hostile fearful emotions from the past, still remains in memories of people. These reminiscences are the basis of ethnic incidents during social interactions and can swiftly burst into violence that is destructive. Second is the issue of political identity. Around the world, political leaders create national and ethnic characters. They do this by creating emotional appeal using powerful symbols and myths. Consequently, amid exaggerated fears of extinction of an ethnic group, violence breaks out in an effort to control of territory and governance. Proper management of racial relations can bring peace and coexistence. However, the spread of ethnic myths, stereotypes that are divisive results ethnic cleansing, massacres, and atrocities in a population. The third theory is Manipulative Elites who are contending for power which manipulate divisions in the society. It assumes the ethnic group relations are fragile and there is more top-down mobilization as compared to than bottom-up. Elites who are contending for power, manipulate divisions in the society. They do so through the spread of fear, false publicity and abhorrence discourse, and with no-compromise, hostile, crisis politics. (Sambanis, 263) Also, agrees to this. He states that elites at times construct ethnic identities in society or fortify differences among people according to race, religion, or language spoken. These form of negative influence produces friction and conflict that can cause genocide wars. Fourthly, the Economic Roots theory that pinpoints the causes of an underperforming economy and a weak state. It unveils how income is unequally distributed and run by a dictatorial regime. It explains how the entrepreneurs of war and violence organize armed groups of unemployed youths. Initially, political goals motivate them, but ultimately this changes. To finance rebellion, indulging in criminal activities become their way of life. Eventually, the result is a “conflict trap” common in underdeveloped countries that are ethnically divided with weak governments (Collier, 4). If a state that depends on commodity exports is under-performing economically and has a low gross domestic product, it is at high risk of civil war. Lastly, is the contention for power. To make claims, the competitors seize opportunities by exploitation of the feeble system and other antagonists. Ultimately, this spurs genocidal wars and massacres. Marx and Engels theory on causes of genocide The main causes of genocide identified are cultural norms. This can range from religion, ethnic beliefs, individual and citizen groups just to mention a few. For instance, martial norms, the Shintro religion of Japan and the Islamic religion of the Muslims are militaristic in nature. The Buddist religion of Central and East Asia is pacifistic (Cohen, 12). These teachings affect the actions of the worshipers of these nations. The practice of the beliefs is evident. A lot more genocide war have been associated with the Muslim culture through bombing, grenade attack and actual killing simply because the other are non-Muslims. The aspect of belonging to a certain ethnic group gives individuals mixed feelings. Some tend to feel more superior to others due to their race and therefore extend threats to one another. Such confrontations lead to conflicts that consequently lead to war. Political identity and affiliations is identified as another major cause of genocide and conflict. Majority of the civil war between nations are due to political powers conflict. The World War I and II are good case scenarios. The Rwanda genocide is famous. The cause of the war an attempted coup by those against the government of that time. The World War I and World War II are results of colonization which is form of political conflicts. The two theories do not completely explain the conflict. The reason is because the issues of economic crisis both at a country level and on an individual level can cause conflicts and genocide. The lack of income or enough resources often leads to illegal malpractice. If a society is on the lower spectrum of economic class, it is likely to cause conflict. It is common to see a segment of low income earners sell drugs or result to theft. On a large and small scale, it can lead to loss of lives. Governments have invested to stop illegal drug trafficking and robbery and resulted to deaths of thousands. Therefore the economic cause of conflict and genocide is key but has been omitted. The Movie Lone Survivor The movie Lone Survivor narrates a story of American CIA agents at war in Vietnam. The agents go into the thick forests to make investigations of the magnitude of war that is planned against the United States. During their treks in the hills to find a spot that has a better view, they encounter children. They assume that they are innocent and do not understand the intensity of war between Vietnam and the United States. Therefore they let them go and believe they are alone and safe. Unfortunately, the children are informants and young training soldiers. The young trainees run down the hills and inform the leader of the group of the CIA agents. They are hunted down and killed having just one of them survive. The movie proves several theories of conflict described above. The first is the theory of Manipulative Elites. The leader of the Vietnamese soldiers is the elite in this community. He has influenced the mindset of the community including the children to be against the US citizens. Each member of the community believes what the leader says of the opponents and works towards massacring them. The second theory is that of Ancient Hatreds. This approach infers that members of a particular ethnic group develop a sense of threat towards another. It assumes resistance to resistance to modernization and assimilation. The American agents come in peace to make an investigation and even say that they come in peace and to negotiate. Their rivals are not open to this. They cannot see a chance where the two ethnically different societies can speak and reach a decision to end the war. They, therefore, result in conflict and ultimately kill the agents with no mercy. References Burstein, P. (1998). Discrimination, jobs, and politics: The struggle for equal employment opportunity in the United States since the New Deal. University of Chicago Press. Cohen, R. (1984). Warfare and state formation: wars make states and states make wars. Warfare, culture, and environment, 329, 358. Collier, P. (2003). Breaking the conflict trap: Civil war and development policy. World Bank Publications. Oberschall, A. (2010). Conflict theory. In Handbook of Politics (pp. 177-193). Springer New York. Sambanis, N. (2001). Do ethnic and non-ethnic civil wars have the same causes? A theoretical and empirical inquiry (part 1). Journal of Conflict Resolution, 45(3), 259-282. Read More