Ethnic Actors and International Crises: Theory and Findings, 1918–2001

Abstract

This study explores the role of ethnicity in the universe of international crises during the period from 1918 to 2001. We begin with three concepts: ethnicity in international crisis, ethnic actors, and ethnic issues. We then develop a typology of international crisis comprised of interstate, ethnic-interstate, and NSA-interstate (nonstate actor-interstate) cases. Our research questions address all three types of crisis focusing specifically on: 1. Who are the ethnic actors that play a part in crises? 2. What are the issues they introduce? 3 . Do interstate and ethnic-interstate crises differ?We present findings on the "universe" of 434 International Crisis Behavior (ICB) cases, divided by typological category. Then we analyze ethnic actors and issues in the "world" of 130 ethnicinterstate crises, and explore crisis outcome. Finally we examine the "universe" of ICB crises with regard to the three postulates on crisis outcome and violence. In conclusion we highlight the importance of an actor-based approach to ethnicity in world politics.This research offers an actor-based approach as a new mode of analyzing ethnicity by focusing on ethnic actors and issues in international crises. It follows the footsteps of Ben-Yehuda and Mishali-Ram (2003) and outlines a typology of international crisis that distinguishes between three types of crisis: interstate, ethnic-interstate and NSA-interstate. 2 1 The present study is based on a Ph.D. dissertation written by Meirav Mishali-Ram at Bar llan University under the supervision of Hemda Ben-Yehuda and Michael Brecher.2Previous studies on the Arab-Israeli conflict have indicated that ethnic actors are central adversaries in the ongoing confrontations and, over time, ethnic issues have played an increasing role, leading to higher levels of regional instability. While the participation and influence of these ethnic actors has increased, their role has also changed from an escalating one, between 1947-1973, to a moderating one after 1973 (Ben-Yehuda and Mishali-Ram, 2003;Ben-Yehuda and Sandler, 2002).

Ανταρτοπόλεμος και διασυνοριακές βάσεις (Safe Haven)

“…Οι δε για να αποφύγουν τις συνέπειες. 11 Σύμφωνα με τους Ben-Yehuda και Mishali-Ram (Ben-Yehuda & Mishali-Ram, 2006), οι οποίοι μελέτησαν τη βάση δεδομένων του International Crisis Behavior Project (http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/icb/) που συγκεντρώνει στοιχεία για τις διεθνείς κρίσεις, σχεδόν οι μισές διεθνείς -διακρατικές-κρίσεις (48%) την περίοδο 1918-2001 είχαν την εμπλοκή ή οφείλονταν στη δράση μη-κρατικών δρώντων.…”