Brown bag: E Pluribus Unum, Ex Uno Plures: Correlates and Causes of Fragmentation in Ethnopolitical Movements
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E Pluribus Unum, Ex Uno Plures: Correlates and Causes of Fragmentation in Ethnopolitical Movements
Tuesday, November 5th
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Metropolitan Building 5183
Dr. Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham, University of Maryland
Abstract: Why are some ethnopolitical movements divided while others are relatively unified? A growing literature examines the consequences of internal divisions in ethnopolitical movements, yet the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We identify four sets of mechanisms explaining fragmentation—based on structure, institutions, strategic interaction, and international context—and examine them in a nested analysis. Using an original dataset on fragmentation in ethnopolitical movements across the world, we test hypotheses explaining cohesion and fragmentation over time. Drawing on grounded fieldwork, we then use case studies to identify the causal mechanisms at work. We find that the degree of fragmentation of ethnopolitical movements is conditioned by the effect of institutions and strategic interactions between these movements and the state. We also find that the end of the Cold War has increased fragmentation, while we find less support for explanations stressing geography and the social structure of ethnic groups.