(iPoster) Collective Punishment of Former Occupiers’ National Group in 20th Century Europe

• In Event: Poster Sessions: Comparative Politics of Developing Countries & Occupation, Memory, and National Identity
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Occupation, Memory, and National Identity

Abstract

Why do some previously occupied national communities allow their former occupiers’ national group to remain in their state, whereas others expel them? With the wide variation of policies towards members of previous occupiers’ national groups and occupation being prevalent across the world, this paper examines the varied treatment of the previous occupiers’ national group. I theorize that differing treatments of former occupiers depends on the threat level emanating from the former occupiers. If the former occupier was disarmed and heavily sanctioned by the international community, then kicking out or intolerant policies would be unlikely to result in retaliation. In addition, the level of local governing autonomy granted by the occupier is expected to impact the amount of resentment towards the previous occupier, thus providing motivation for kicking out the occupiers. I examine all cases of occupation that occurred within Europe in the 20th century, which include cases of occupation in WWI, WWII, and long-term occupations by the USSR. To further explore the treatment of the previous occupier’s national community, I conduct a case study of the Baltic States after gaining independence from the USSR, examining the reasons for their differing policies towards Russians. This paper provides a novel dataset of 20th century occupations, coding policies pursued against occupiers after independence. By understanding policies of exclusion/inclusion, the nature of former occupations on relations between the occupied and occupiers can reveal how nationalism motivates targeting of violence of certain groups and which groups are conceptualized as being part of a state.

Author

• Izabela Konopka, The George Washington University