Lesson Report:
# **Lesson Report: The Role of Political Elites in Ethnic Conflict**
### **Synopsis:**
In this session, students explored the instrumentalist perspective on ethnic conflict, analyzing how political elites manipulate ethnic identities to maintain power and mobilize support. The lesson included a student presentation on elite-driven ethnic conflict, an instructor-led discussion on theoretical frameworks, and a workshop in which students analyzed real-world case studies of ethnic conflict. The objective was to deepen understanding of the causes and consequences of ethnic violence and to apply theoretical insights to historical and contemporary cases.
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## **Attendance:**
– No specific mention of absent students.
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## **Topics Covered:**
### **1. Student Presentation: Political Elites and Ethnic Conflict**
– **Presenter:** Eldar
– **Key Arguments:**
– Political elites manipulate ethnic divisions to retain power and justify violence.
– Ethnic identities are often politically constructed rather than the root cause of conflict.
– **Theoretical Framework:**
– Kauffman’s perspective: Ethnic conflicts are elite-driven through manipulation of historical narratives.
– Mechanisms used by elites:
– **Propaganda:** Framing ethnic groups as enemies.
– **Discriminatory policies:** Favoring one ethnic group over another.
– **Election manipulation:** Exploiting ethnic divisions for electoral gain.
– **Case Studies:**
– **Yugoslavia:** Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević fueled Serbian nationalism to solidify power, leading to ethnic violence.
– **Myanmar:** Elites portrayed the Rohingya as security threats, justifying discrimination and violence.
– **Ghana:** Political elites instigated ethnic violence during regime changes.
– **Solutions & Conflict Prevention:**
– Inclusive political institutions to reduce ethnic marginalization.
– Independent media to counter propaganda.
– Education to build resilience against elite manipulation.
### **2. Lecture Discussion: Instrumentalist vs. Psychoculturalist Perspectives**
– **Review of Last Lesson:**
– Recap of instrumentalist vs. psychoculturalist spectrum.
– Ethnic conflict cases rarely fall at either extreme but exist in a murky middle ground.
– **Key Discussion Points:**
– Instrumentalists argue that nationalism and ethnic movements are activated by elites, not organic societal processes.
– Political elites deliberately construct and shape ethnic identities for strategic purposes.
### **3. Group Workshop: Analyzing Ethnic Conflicts in Case Studies**
– **Objective:** Locate ethnic conflicts on the instrumentalist-psychoculturalist spectrum.
– **Procedure:**
1. Students divided into six groups, each assigned a conflict case study.
2. Each group answered four key questions:
– Origins: When/where/why did the conflict begin? Were there historical grievances?
– Primary Drivers: Political/economic or identity-based?
– Institutional & Economic Factors: How did institutions or economies contribute?
– Current Status: Is the conflict ongoing or resolved?
3. Groups presented findings and placed cases on a 1-6 spectrum (1 = purely instrumentalist, 6 = purely psychoculturalist).
– **Case Studies & Spectrum Placement:**
– **Rwanda (1994):** Rated **2** – Hutu-Tutsi conflict was largely driven by political elites manipulating ethnic divisions.
– **Israel-Palestine:** Rated **3.5** – A mix of political control, nationalism, and historical grievances.
– **Bosnian War (1992-1995):** Rated **3** – Both identity concerns and political power struggles played a role.
– **Myanmar (Rohingya crisis):** Rated **2.5** – Driven by state policies targeting the Rohingya as outsiders.
– **Sri Lanka (Tamil Tigers vs. Sinhalese Govt):** Rated **2.5** – Political and military factors largely shaped the conflict.
– **Ethiopia (Tigray conflict):** Rated **4** – Heavily driven by identity-based tensions but with political manipulation.
– **Key Observations from Spectrum Analysis:**
– Most conflicts fell within the **2-4 range**, indicating a mix of instrumentalist and psychocultural elements.
– Few, if any, conflicts were purely economic/materialist or purely identity-driven.
### **4. Midterm Exam & Final Discussions**
– **Midterm Announcement:** Scheduled for **Wednesday** following a student presentation.
– Open notes allowed; handwritten only.
– Format: Essay-style application of theoretical readings to a case study.
– **Presentation Submissions:**
– PDFs of research articles used in student presentations must be submitted before spring break.
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## **Actionable Items:**
### **Urgent (Before Midterm – Wednesday)**
– **Submit Presentation Articles:** Students presenting must send PDFs of their sources to the instructor before the exam.
– **Midterm Clarifications:**
– Students can bring handwritten notes.
– They need blank paper for writing responses.
– Exam question will involve applying political science theories to a real-world case.
### **Upcoming (Post-Midterm)**
– **Continuation of Ethnic Conflict Theories:**
– Deeper exploration of conflict resolution strategies in the following week.
– Further refinement of students’ placement of conflicts on the instrumentalist-psychoculturalist spectrum.
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This report provides a detailed account of the session for future reference in curriculum planning and student evaluations.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK. No homework was assigned during this lesson, as the class time was focused on in-class group activities analyzing case studies on ethnic conflict, and there was no mention of homework instructions or tasks to be completed outside of class.