Summer Timetable

POL321H1F L5101

Ethnic Politics in Comparative Perspective

Themes

What is ethnic or national identity, and when, how and why does it lead to nationalist movements and, potentially, to violent armed conflict? This course will explore the major debates in the study of ethnonationalism, and concrete instances of ethnic conflicts around the world. We will focus on the theoretical debates regarding what nations are, and how and when they developed. We will also examine the ideal of the nation-state, and explore the desire for statehood, the effects of states on nations, the experience of stateless nations, and attempts by states to grapple with the lack of congruence between the nation and the state. Finally, we will consider the occurrence of violent ethnic conflict, the aims of its perpetrators, and potential ways to address it.

Texts

A variety of readings, most, if not all of which will be made available electronically.

Format and Requirements

Two two-hour seminars per week. Seminar participation (10%), reading response (20%), research essay (40%), and final exam (30%).

Prerequisites

1.0 POL credit

Exclusions
POL321Y1