Institutions, contexts, and ethnic violence in comparative perspective
Journal
International Political Science Review
Journal Volume
42
Journal Issue
3
Pages
400-415
Date Issued
2021-06-01
Author(s)
Lin, Tse Min
Abstract
Which combinations of government structures and electoral systems create better frameworks for addressing ethnic violence? Is there any one-size-fits-all institutional solution to violent ethnic conflict? Why or why not? These questions are of substantial importance to scholars and policymakers alike, but the extant literature does not provide a systematic and thorough exploration. In this article, we argue that the effects of political institutions on ethnic violence are moderated by parameters of ethnic configurations. Through a large comparative study, we find that institutions are relevant when ethnic groups are not geographically dispersed, and whether ethnic minorities face a majority group also matters. For concentrated minorities facing a majority, semi-presidential-proportional and presidential-proportional systems are more effective in reducing violence. In cases involving concentrated minorities facing no majority, parliamentary-non-proportional systems are associated with the most intense violence. We conclude that states seeking to alleviate ethnic violence by institutional engineering must take contexts seriously.
Subjects
electoral systems
ethnic configuration
ethnic violence
Government structures
multilevel analysis
Type
journal article