Identity conflict, ethnocentrism and social cohesion

Matteo Sestito
Additional contact information
Matteo Sestito: AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UNIL - Université de Lausanne = University of Lausanne

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: This paper uses a novel dataset on ethnic warfare to shed light on how conflict affects social identification and cohesion. A large body of anecdotal studies suggests that ethnic identities become more salient at times of conflict. Using data from eighteen sub-Saharan countries, I provide econometric evidence for such a claim. The effect of ethnic conflict on various measures of social cohesion is also investigated, uncovering a positive relationship between the two. The finding is understood as a result of the ethnocentric dynamics generated by conflict: as ethnic warfare increases ethnic identification, in-group cooperation follows suit. This parochial interpretation is further strengthened by the use of remote violence and the conditionality of conflict-induced pro-social behaviour on low levels of ethnic polarisation.

Keywords: ethnic conflict; social cohesion; identity; Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-01-23
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03953975v2
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Published in Journal of Development Economics, 2023, 174, pp.103426. ⟨10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103426⟩

Downloads: (external link)
https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03953975v2/document (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-03953975

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103426

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().