Donald L. Horowitz - Ethnic Groups in Conflict

Another crucial author in the field of study of ethnicity is Donald L. Horowitz, formulating his major ideas in the fundamental study Ethnic Groups in Conflict,[1] which deals with the theories and practices of ethnic conflicts, ethnic observance and affiliations. Looking at the goals of ethnic conflicts and analyzing cultural differences or the divergent interest of ethnic groups, as well as explaining reasons of many attempted ethnic secession but few irredentas,[2] lead us to find the reasons of salience and exacerbation of ethnicity and ethnic conflicts at a particular time and under concrete circumstances.
To some extent Horowitz shares Brubaker’s approach to the study of ethnic conflict, mentioning: “ethnic conflict is, of course, a recurrent phenomenon, shifting contexts make ethnicity now more, now less prominent”[3], further adding that ethnic conflicts are generally influenced externally by international environment, internally by rationalistic and materialistic calculations, thus “theories of ethnic conflicts should specify what the groups are fighting over – which is not as obvious as it seems – and why ethnic lines of conflict are so important.”[4]
Although considering history as a weapon, that can fuel ethnic conflict, Horowitz neglects the idea of interpreting ethnic conflicts as a “revived form of an earlier conflict”.[5] Supporting the idea of seeing ethnic conflict as by product of modernization, he points to “the role of elite ambitions and the role of differential modernization of ethnic groups in fostering conflicts”.[6] Although referring to non modernized parts of the world, he does not neglect the deficiencies of modernization approach: “modernization theorists might rejoin that the elites in those areas, small though they may be, are disproportionately important ... [concluding that] ... one is left to surmise, either elite manipulations can, without more, induce mass action, or the masses follow only so long as there is a payoff.”[7]
Finally, as most of the contemporary ethnic conflicts are matter of secession, Horowitz asserts various aspects, related to the emergence of secessionist movements and later contributing to its successful development, forming the internal and external triangles: the first one comprised of domestic politics – relations of various groups – relations of various regions, within a particular state and the external triangle, shaped by international politics, balance of interests and forces, that extend beyond particular state.
[1]Donald L. Horowitz. Ethnic Groups in Conflict. (London: University of California Press, 1985).
[2]Ibid., 2.
[3]Ibid., 4.
[4]Ibid.,15
[5]Ibid., 99
[6]Ibid., 101
[7]Ibid., 104