Anthropology

Social Issues: Perspectives in Anthropology

The debate on the causes of conflicts between ethnic groups and whether it is inevitable or not has been an important subject for anthropologists as well as for other social scientists since the 1960s. Conflict is something humans experience every day in many situations; one can say that conflict is part of human’s nature and that it will always exist. But how are ethnic conflicts any different from any other type of conflicts?

In order to understand what causes the ethnic conflicts anthropologists had to first focus on the origin of these ethnic groups. They came across with two theories, the primordialist view and the circumstantialist perspective. The primordialist view argues that ethnic is something a person is born with or born into, and the circumstantialist perspective argues that a person’s ethnicity isn’t defined by their birth, but can be manipulated under different circumstances. With this is mind we can find two sides that answer the same question, is conflict between ethnic groups is inevitable?

According to Sudhir Kakar, Indian social researcher, ethnic differences are deeply hold distinctions and it will inevitably erupt as ethnic conflicts. He thinks that there are some primordial differences that can eventually end up causing a conflict between different ethnic groups. He also thinks that no matter how much they try to hide their fears and anxieties it is impossible to eliminate them. On the other hand we have Anthony Oberschall, American sociologist, who argues that ethnic conflicts have recently emerged. He thinks that people’s fears and anxieties can be manipulated by politicians to benefit their own agenda.

I agree that people’s ethnicity is based on where they are born. I think it is impossible for someone to shift from one ethnic group to another whenever is convenient for the person. I believe babies adopt their parents and communities believes and traditions, because is the only thing they...