History of communical riots

 

Abstract

How does inequality within and between ethno-religious groups influence the likelihood and frequency of communal riots? Using evidence from India, this article finds that low within-group and high between-group inequality dampens the likelihood and frequency of communal riots. Theoretically, the article suggests that the instrumental logic, which posits that ethnonationalist politicians use violence to stoke ethnic cleavages and mobilize support, best accounts for this finding. We argue that to be politically competitive, ethnonationalist politicians need their supporters to identify foremost with their ethnic identity. When inequality within groups is high and/or inequality between groups is low, citizens are less likely to focus on ethnicity as their primary identity. In such contexts, politicians may use communal riots to improve their electoral prospects by reinforcing the salience of ethnicity.

Economic inequality and ethno-religious riots: Three approaches

There are three main arguments that connect inequality within and between groups to political violence in general and ethno-religious riots in particular: the grievance-based argument, the organizational argument, and the instrumental argument. In this section, we outline these approaches and their predictions.

Inequality, grievances, and riots

A longstanding body of literature in comparative politics shows that sociopolitical cleavages and their interaction with each other influence nonviolent political mobilization such as party formation and voting as well as violent mobilization such as civil wars and communal conflict (Lipset & Rokkan, 1967; Lijphart, 1977; Chandra, 2007; Dunning & Harrison, 2010; Cederman et al., 2011; Gubler & Selway, 2012; Hillesund, 2017; Huber & Suryanarayan, 2016; Houle et al., 2018; Higashijima & Houle, 2017; Bulutgil & Prasad, 2020; Tudor & Ziegfeld, 2019). The logic of these arguments is that when social cleavages such as ethno-religious divisions cross-cut rather than overlap with other divisions such as economic ones, ethno-religious divisions become less visible and intergroup relations are less polarized 

Abstract

How does inequality within and between ethno-religious groups influence the likelihood and frequency of communal riots? Using evidence from India, this article finds that low within-group and high between-group inequality dampens the likelihood and frequency of communal riots. Theoretically, the article suggests that the instrumental logic, which posits that ethnonationalist politicians use violence to stoke ethnic cleavages and mobilize support, best accounts for this finding. We argue that to be politically competitive, ethnonationalist politicians need their supporters to identify foremost with their ethnic identity. When inequality within groups is high and/or inequality between groups is low, citizens are less likely to focus on ethnicity as their primary identity. In such contexts, politicians may use communal riots to improve their electoral prospects by reinforcing the salience of ethnicity. Empirically, the article relies on a time-series cross-district analysis of inequality and Hindu–Muslim riots in India to test the instrumental argument against theoretical alternatives. To illustrate the causal logic, the article also uses the analysis of a communal riot that occurred in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. Analyzing three aspects of the riot – background conditions, timing, targets of propaganda – we evaluate the different predictions of the instrumental argument. The article concludes with the suggestion that communal riots are distinct from cases of mass violence – such as civil wars, genocide, and ethnic cleansing – and could be conceptualized, along with other types of small-scale political violence, as a separate class of events with their own internal logic.
Does economic inequality within or between ethno-religious groups impact the likelihood of communal riots? If so, what is the nature of this impact? The main finding of this article, based on evidence from India, is that higher levels of within-group inequality and lower levels of between-group inequality result in a higher likelihood of ethno-religious riots. We argue that this finding is compatible with the instrumental argument that leaders of ethnonationalist parties incite (or refuse to suppress) violence to serve their political interests. Specifically, these parties turn to communal violence to enhance the relative salience of ethno-religious cleavages when such cleavages seem less salient and compete with other types of political divisions.
Communal riots, also known as religious or ethnic riots, have a history marked by tensions between different religious or ethnic communities resulting in violence and conflict. These incidents have often had devastating consequences, including loss of life and property, and have left deep scars on affected societies.Communal riots have occurred across the globe, driven by various factors such as religious differences, political manipulation, economic disparities, and social tensions. One of the most infamous instances was the partition of India in 1947, which led to widespread communal violence between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, resulting in significant loss of life and displacement.In the United States, the race riots of the 1960s, particularly the Watts riots in Los Angeles, reflected deep-seated racial tensions and civil rights struggles. Similarly, ethnic conflicts in the Balkans during the 1990s, notably in Bosnia and Kosovo, resulted in brutal communal violence.In more recent years, communal riots have occurred in countries like Myanmar, where clashes between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims led to a humanitarian crisis. Additionally, communal tensions have flared in countries like India, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka, often fueled by religious or ethnic divides.Efforts to prevent and address communal riots include the promotion of interfaith dialogue, conflict resolution mechanisms, and legal measures to hold perpetrators accountable. International organizations and NGOs play crucial roles in facilitating peace and reconciliation in post-riot environments.Understanding the history of communal riots serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fostering tolerance, inclusivity, and social cohesion in diverse societies. These events underscore the need for ongoing efforts to promote peace, understanding, and respect for differences to prevent the recurrence of such tragic incidents in the future.Communal riots, also known as religious or ethnic riots, have plagued societies throughout history. These violent clashes stem from deep-seated religious, ethnic, or cultural differences and often result in loss of life, property, and lasting scars on affected communities.One of the earliest recorded communal riots dates back to ancient Rome when tensions between Jews and Greeks led to violence in Alexandria in 38 CE. Throughout history, religious differences have often been a significant trigger for such conflicts.In the Indian subcontinent, communal riots have a long history, with notable incidents like the 1947 partition of India and the 2002 Gujarat riots. These conflicts have primarily involved Hindus and Muslims and have left a legacy of distrust and animosity.The Balkans in the late 20th century witnessed ethnic conflicts that led to the breakup of Yugoslavia. The Bosnian War and the Kosovo conflict resulted in widespread violence and ethnic cleansing.The United States has seen its share of racial and ethnic riots, including the race riots of the 1960s and the Los Angeles riots in 1992 following the Rodney King verdict. These events underscored racial tensions and social inequalities.In recent years, communal violence has flared in various parts of the world, including Myanmar, where clashes between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims have led to a humanitarian crisis. Additionally, communal tensions have erupted in countries like Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Syria.Efforts to prevent and mitigate communal riots include interfaith dialogue, conflict resolution mechanisms, and legal accountability for perpetrators. International organizations and NGOs play vital roles in promoting peace and reconciliation in post-riot environments.The history of communal riots serves as a somber reminder of the destructive potential of religious, ethnic, and cultural divisions. It highlights the urgent need for tolerance, inclusivity, and conflict resolution to build harmonious and diverse societies that can overcome the scars of their past.
Published on Oct 03, 2023 11:42 AM IST

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Environmental stories

 Environmental stories have taken center stage in recent years, reflecting the growing concern for our planet's well-being. One of the most significant narratives revolves around climate change. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and melting polar ice caps have made headlines worldwide. The urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to renewable energy sources has never been more pressing.Another critical environmental story is the decline in biodiversity. Species are vanishing at an alarming rate due to habitat destruction, pollution, and over-exploitation. Efforts to protect endangered animals and ecosystems are underway, but the battle to preserve Earth's rich biodiversity is far from over.The issue of plastic pollution has gained widespread attention. Plastic waste is choking oceans and harming marine life. Innovative solutions such as biodegradable plastics and increased recycling efforts are being explored to combat this global crisis.Furthermore,
Read more

Political parties

  Politics, simply speaking, refers to the activities surrounding a country’s governance. In the context of a large democratic country like India, politics becomes really complicated. This Indian politics essay will throw light on the politics of India. Politics in India, like any other democratic country, involves the ruling party and the opposition. In India, the formation of political parties has taken place on the basis of ideology. Moreover, the Indian  political parties  belong to the left and the right political spectrum. Leftist politics rely on the values of secularism, liberalism, and rebelliousness. In contrast, rightist politics favour the values of being pro-government, orderly, conservative, and traditional. There are no definitions of left-right politics anywhere in the Indian constitution. Furthermore, these terms were given by commentators, authors, and journalists. Also, it has been witnessed in India that some politicians can change their political party and ideology
Read more

Educational stories

  1) The Golden Touch of Midas Once upon a time, there was a Greek King, Midas. He was very rich and had lots of Gold. He had a daughter, who he loved a lot. One day, Midas found an angel in need of help. He helped her and in return she agreed to grant a wish. Midas wished that everything he touched would turn into gold. His wish was granted On his way home, he touched rocks and plants and they turned into gold. As he reached home, in excitement he hugged his daughter, who turned into gold. Midas was devastated and he had learnt his lesson. Upon learning his lesson, Midas asked the angel to take his wish away. Moral of the story Greed is not good for you. Be content and satisfied to lead a happy and fulfilling life 2) The Tortoise and the Hare This is an extremely popular story about a hare and a tortoise. The hare is an animal that is known to move quickly, while a tortoise is one to move slowly. One day, the hare challenged the tortoise to a race simply to prove that he was the best.
Read more