The sociology of studies of ethnic conflict: Explaining the causal status of development

What does causation mean in conflict studies? Using a sample of published qualitative, article-length studies on the Rwandan and Yugoslav wars, we find a lack of reflexivity over causal claims in scholarship on conflict. Causal language is not as pervasive as expected, asserted cause-effect relationships are rarely fully explicated, and scholars under-explore their causal assumptions. Considering that ideas on causation necessarily condition explanations of conflict, including "ethnic" conflict, this is a major research issue. While there exists a lively debate between different causal narratives regarding the onset of conflict-with studies alternatively stressing "attitudes," "conditions," or both-it stops short of addressing issues at the deeper level of causal understandings. For the most part, studies subscribe to the search for empirical generalization, thus limiting attendant debates to a single model of causation. These findings indicate that conflict studies literature would benefit from greater reflexivity and pluralism with regards to causation, and paying more attention to philosophical debates on the subject. We provide a basic outline of this reflexive agenda.

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“…For previous discussions, seeSuganami (1996),Angstrom (2000),Lyall (2015),Greiff and Grieff (2016) andVan Ingen (2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Causal Claims and the Study of Ethnic Conflict

Desrosiers

Vučetić

2018

Journal of Global Security Studies

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show abstract

“…For previous discussions, seeSuganami (1996),Angstrom (2000),Lyall (2015),Greiff and Grieff (2016) andVan Ingen (2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Causal Claims and the Study of Ethnic Conflict

Desrosiers¹,

Vučetić²

2018

Preprint

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What does causation mean in conflict studies? Using a sample of published qualitative, article-length studies on the Rwandan and Yugoslav wars, we find a lack of reflexivity over causal claims in scholarship on conflict. Causal language is not as pervasive as expected, asserted cause-effect relationships are rarely fully explicated, and scholars under-explore their causal assumptions. Considering that ideas on causation necessarily condition explanations of conflict, including “ethnic” conflict, this is a major research issue. While there exists a lively debate between different causal narratives regarding the onset of conflict—with studies alternatively stressing “attitudes,” “conditions,” or both—it stops short of addressing issues at the deeper level of causal understandings. For the most part, studies subscribe to the search for empirical generalization, thus limiting attendant debates to a single model of causation. These findings indicate that conflict studies literature would benefit from greater reflexivity and pluralism with regards to causation, and paying more attention to philosophical debates on the subject. We provide a basic outline of this reflexive agenda.

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Introduction: Framing the African Condition

Kieh

2017

Contemporary Issues in African Society

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The sociology of studies of ethnic conflict: Explaining the causal status of development

Cited by 4 publications

References 32 publications

Causal Claims and the Study of Ethnic Conflict

Causal Claims and the Study of Ethnic Conflict

Causal Claims and the Study of Ethnic Conflict

Introduction: Framing the African Condition

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