The Roots of Ethnic Cleansing in Europe

Brings together arguments focussing on domestic and international factors to offer a coherent theory of the causes of ethnic cleansing.

H. Zeynep Bulutgil (Author)

9781107135864, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 15 September 2016

234 pages, 8 b/w illus. 12 tables
23.5 x 15.8 x 1.8 cm, 0.5 kg

'Bulutgil's innovative study examines the causes of ethnic cleansing, and why some regions are so much more prone to ethnic cleansing than others. Her fundamental and compelling point is that 'territorial revisions' alter the balance of power among groups within annexed territories that then unleash murderous dynamics. She finds that cross-cutting cleavages serve as barriers against ethnic cleansing, while interstate ethnic conflict facilitates ethnic cleansing by increasing salience of ethnicity relative to other cleavages. This important book revisits some older theories in comparative politics and ingeniously uses them to address a critical question. In sum, The Roots of Ethnic Cleansing in Europe combines sharp theoretical insight with great empirical material.' APSA European Politics and Society Section Best Book Award Committee

Using a new approach to ethnicity that underscores its relative territoriality, H. Zeynep Bulutgil brings together previously separate arguments that focus on domestic and international factors to offer a coherent theory of what causes ethnic cleansing. The author argues that domestic obstacles based on non-ethnic cleavages usually prevent ethnic cleansing whereas territorial conflict triggers this policy by undermining such obstacles. The empirical analysis combines statistical evaluation based on original data with comprehensive studies of historical cases in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Bosnia, in the 1990s. The findings demonstrate how socio-economic cleavages curb radical factions within dominant groups whereas territorial wars strengthen these factions and pave the way for ethnic cleansing. The author further explores the theoretical and empirical extensions in the context of Africa. Its theoretical novelty and broad empirical scope make this book highly valuable to scholars of comparative and international politics alike.

Introduction
1. Theory
2. Empirical implications I: cross-national test
3. Empirical implications II: historical cases
4. Empirical implications III: Bosnia-Herzegovina
5. Negative and atypical cases in Europe
6. Theoretical and empirical extensions - relative absence of ethnic cleansing in Africa
7. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Sociology & anthropology [JH], Ethnic minorities & multicultural studies [JFSL1], Society & culture: general [JF], Genocide & ethnic cleansing [HBTZ], Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000 [HBLW3], European history [HBJD], Regional & national history [HBJ]