eBook

The geography of ethnic violence

Toft, Monica Duffy

2003,2010

Overview

The Geography of Ethnic Violenceis the first among numerous distinguished books on ethnic violence to clarify the vital role of territory in explaining such conflict. Monica Toft introduces and tests a theory of ethnic violence, one that provides a compelling general explanation of not only most ethnic violence, civil wars, and terrorism but many interstate wars as well. This understanding can foster new policy initiatives with real potential to make ethnic violence either less likely or less destructive. It can also guide policymakers to solutions that endure. The book offers a distinctively powerful synthesis of comparative politics and international relations theories, as well as a striking blend of statistical and historical case study methodologies. By skillfully combining a statistical analysis of a large number of ethnic conflicts with a focused comparison of historical cases of ethnic violence and nonviolence--including four major conflicts in the former Soviet Union--it achieves a rare balance of general applicability and deep insight. Toft concludes that only by understanding how legitimacy and power interact can we hope to learn why some ethnic conflicts turn violent while others do not. Concentrated groups defending a self-defined homeland often fight to the death, while dispersed or urbanized groups almost never risk violence to redress their grievances. Clearly written and rigorously documented, this book represents a major contribution to an ongoing debate that spans a range of disciplines including international relations, comparative politics, sociology, and history.

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Subject: Abkhazia / Adjara / Asymmetric warfare / Badme / Banditry / Breakup of Yugoslavia / Case studies / Caucasian War / Chechens / Chechnya / Civil disobedience / Civil war / Cold War / Communal violence / Conflict resolution / Correlates of War / Counter-insurgency / De-Stalinization / Demagogue / Deportation / Dictatorship / Eritrean–Ethiopian War / Ethnic cleansing / Ethnic conflict / Ethnic conflict -- Former Soviet republics -- Case studies / Ethnic group / Ethnic nationalism / Ethnic relations / Ethnic violence / Former Soviet republics / Former Soviet republics -- Ethnic relations -- Case studies / Geography / Georgia for Georgians / Georgians / Groupthink / Harassment / Hostility / Human geography / Identity / Imperialism / Insurgency / Interest / Interethnic conflict / Interethnic relations / Internal colonialism / International Relations / Islamic terrorism / Ivan the Terrible / Language policy / Martial law / Mass murder / Multiculturalism / Nationalism / Nations and Nationalism (book) / Neocolonialism / Neorealism (international relations) / Organized crime / Partition / Partition, Territorial / Political agenda / POLITICAL SCIENCE / POLITICAL SCIENCE / International Relations / General / Political violence / Power politics / Precedent / Russian Civil War / Russification / Secession / Security dilemma / Separatism / Slavery / Sovereignty / Soviet Union / State terrorism / States and Social Revolutions / Subversion / Tatars / Tatarstan / Territorial dispute / Territory / Terrorism / Theory of International Politics / Totalitarianism / U.S.S.R / Violence / War / War effort / War in Abkhazia (1992–93) / Warfare / Yugoslav Wars
• ISBN: 9780691113548, 0691113548, 0691123837, 9780691123837, 1400835747, 9781400835744