The state of the field and debates on ethnic cleansing

Abstract

This review article outlines the progress that the literature on the causes of ethnic cleansing has made in the last 10–15 years. The article specifically focuses on two lines of research that have expanded our understanding of ethnic cleansing: (a) the studies that focus on the role of wars (this literature can in turn be divided into those works that treat “wars as strategic environments” and those that treat “wars as transformational forces”); (b) the studies that focus on the pre-war domestic or international conditions that hinder or promote ethnic cleansing. The last section of the article suggests several future avenues of research that could further refine the study of ethnic cleansing and its relationship to other types of mass violence.

Forced deportations and the Ukraine war: Russian culpability in atrocity crimes

“…Mann notes crises also destabilize the state in ways that allow radicals to "emerge calling for tougher treatment of perceived ethnic enemies" (Mann, 2005: 7). And these dynamics, Bulutgil (2018Bulutgil ( : 1140 notes, can lead elites "to consider the whole group as a security threat without considering more selective policies. "…”

“…Those who are a threat can be expelled, while those who are neutral or not a threat “may well be able to remain in their homes” (Hägerdal, 2019: 65). Finally, forced displacement can also be used to target specific groups that governments and state elites understand as “long-term security threats” (Bulutgil, 2018: 1139) to the state or other groups. There is a clear ideological element in such responses.…”

A Political Psychological Analysis on Ethnic Conflicts and Peace Studies

“…Maalesef ortaya çıkan anlatılar toplumsal ve zihinsel bir rahatlama getirse de hem var olan ızdırabı uzatan hem de sonraki ızdırabı başlatan unsurları inşa etmektedir. Özellikle toplumsal duygu devinimlerini ortaya çıkaran üç tip anlatı bu noktada önemlidir: geleneksel kahraman asker anlatıları, diğerinin şeytanlaştırılmasına yol açan iyiye karşı kötü anlatılar ve son olarak intikam alma davranışlarını harekete geçiren kurtarıcı şiddet anlatısıdır (Bulutgil, 2018(Bulutgil, : 1140Eber ve Neal, 2001;Schick, 2011Schick, : 1842Schick, -1843. Devam eden travmanın bir başka örneği de iyileşmemiş travmanın genel olarak aktarıldığı yerdir.…”

When do Civil Wars Breed Ethnic Cleansing? The Cases of Lebanon and Yugoslavia

“…Studies that see wars as strategic environments focus on factors such as the type of war, the behavior of minority ethnic groups or who the perpetrators are (Mann, 2005;Straus, 2010;Valentino, 2004). Even though these arguments are valuable, studies claim that they fall short as states diverge in their behavior during comparable war contexts (Straus, 2012;Bulutgil, 2018).…”