Networks of Religion, Ethnicity and Social Conflict

• In Event: Networked Peace? Network Approaches to Peace and Conflict

Abstract

What accounts for variation in conflict and cooperation among ethnic groups living in multiethnic societies? In this paper, I trace this variation to the characteristics of social networks associated with the religion prevalent among them. I contend that the network of social relations constituting an ethnic group has strong imprints of the practices, organizations and institutions associated with the religious sect or mission that the group experienced over the course of the last millennium. These religious interventions shaped how ethnic groups are connected internally and to the outside world and helped determine the observed patterns of ethnic conflict and cooperation. The structure of the network constituting an ethnic group, and an individual’s location in this network shapes their attitudes and behavior towards both co-ethnics and non co-ethnics. I test my argument using a survey experiment involving 3,300 individuals from across 9 ethnic groups inhabiting over 250 village communities in Northeast India.

Author

• Anoop K. Sarbahi, University of Minnesota