Ethnic Groups

The definition of ethnic groups is widely contested, and no commonly accepted definition exists. A good starting point is, however, a subjective definition that regards an ethnic group as the largest human group with a common consciousness of shared origins. This group will often, but not necessarily, share objective characteristics such as language and religion. Most states contain more than one ethnic group, and this can raise important issues of governance: How is the state best structured to accommodate such ethnic heterogeneity?

The term ethnic is derived from the Greek word ethnos, which translates into people or nation and denotes a group characterized by common descent. But the concept of ethnic group is arguably different from the concept of a nation: Political sovereignty is not implied, and some authors would further argue that a nation can have a civic as well as an ethnic basis, whereas others contend that an ethnic group need not have a shared identity; it is a proto-nation. An ethnic group is, finally, not the same as an ethnic minority: An ethnic group can be the dominant group in a state and need, furthermore, not be limited by a state border.

During the last couple of decades, ethnic groups have become increasingly effective foci for group mobilization for concrete political ends. But the existence of more than one ethnic group within a state does not automatically entail instability. The overwhelming majority of the world's states are multiethnic, but ethnic strife is, nevertheless, the exception. In the instances when demands are made on behalf of ethnic groups, several strategies exist for accommodating them. One can distinguish between strategies that seek [Page 286]to eliminate or reduce ethnic differences and strategies that seek to preserve and accommodate them, and that may even strengthen ethnic differences.

The strategies that seek to eliminate ethnic differences range from the clearly unacceptable, such as genocide and expulsion, to more contested ones, such as assimilation and integration. A wide range of strategies seeks to accommodate ethnic groups, and the extent to which the structure of the state will be defined in ethnic terms varies considerably: from cultural autonomy to extensive political and territorial autonomy, from federalism to confederalism. The key to these strategies is that different ethnic groups can be accommodated within the same state, even if relations have turned conflictual. The problem is, however, that none of the strategies are a panacea and timing is crucial: The strategies will only be successful if the political leaders, who have used the ethnic group as a focus for political mobilization, are willing to accept them and are able to bring their followers along.