Ethnicity and the African State
Date
2002
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Haverford College. Department of Political Science
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Thesis
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Award
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eng
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Haverford users only
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Abstract
In the early 1990s, many African states underwent a democratic transformation from authoritarian systems. The liberalization of the political arena by implementing democratic institutions in African states is a way to provide protection of individual rights, such that ethnic affiliation in an open space can be peaceful and interests are effectively addressed. The assumption among political scientists about democracy is that it should create a political space where ethnically diverse states can compete as well as share the government. There have been several approaches performed by African states in managing the increasing ethnic problems. This paper will discuss the relationship of ethnicity and politics within three African states--Uganda, South Africa, and Ethiopia--that have tried to manage ethnic conflict through political structures of unitaryism, multipartyism, and federalism. All of these governments claim to be democratic and promote a space of individual equality and freedoms of ethnic expression. All three governments have been able to maintain a nonviolent level considering the ethnic civil wars that disrupt other African nations. Despite the implementation of democratic structures, ethnic conflict continues to increase within these countries. Unfortunately, democratic devices such as elections have been used as advantageous instruments to promote personal interests. These three nations have demonstrated the mismanagement of freedom of expressions, but they do represent the better half of the country that has not fallen prey to ethnic violence. There is much more state building within the nation that has to be done and there is room for improvements. Therefore, the importance of understanding the dynamics of ethnicity in the political environment can provide solutions to eliminate the use of violence to manage ethnic conflict and alleviate the pressures of political ethnic groups on minorities.