Ethnic Conflict in World Politics

Book excerpt: Documenting the decline in ethnic conflict in most world regions since its peak in the early 1990s, this book discusses the growth of international responsibilities for anticipating and responding to ethnic conflict and humanitarian disasters. It examines four cases - Kurds in Iraq, indigenous peoples in Nicaragua, Chinese in Malaysia and Turks in Germany. Peoples and countries at greatest risk of future conflict are highlighted and strategies of response are suggested. Harff and Gurr's analysis is illustrated by representative case studies of ethnic conflict or its absence, which should increase students' understanding of the phenomenon of ethnic conflict.