Does the Accommodation of Ethnic Demands Lead to Ethnic Moderation?

• In Event: Ethnic Politics

Abstract

It is widely believed that the democratic accommodation of ethnic demands by the state would lead to ethnic moderation and so facilitate ethnic conflict resolution. Is it really the case? When and under what conditions does the accommodation of ethnic demands restrain ethnonationalism? Turkey’s Kurdish issue provides us a great opportunity to test the accommodation hypothesis. Until the early 2000s, the Turkish state responded the Kurdish issue with rather repressive measures. However, beginning in the early 2000s, the state softened its attitude and granted several cultural rights to Kurds, at least partially accommodating their demands. Did this reform process (2001-2015) result in the moderation or radicalization of Kurdish ethnonationalism? Using original and comprehensive survey data, derived from three nationwide public opinion surveys (conducted in 2011, 2013 and 2015), this study shows that the reform process appears to have led radicalization rather than moderation. Why? This study suggests that it is due to contagion effect: When a particular ethnic group’s kins across the border (i.e. in this case Kurds in Iraq) enjoy greater rights and freedoms, then, partial accommodation is not likely to generate ethnic moderation. Rather, it might escalate ethnonationalist orientations.

Author

• Zeki Sarigil, Bilkent University