Evolutionary Theory and Ethnic Conflict (Praeger Studies on Ethnic and National Identities in Politics)

James and Goetze bring together contributors of varied backgrounds, ranging from evolutionary theorists to game theorists to analysts of specific ethnic conflict. Their work represents a coherent attempt at evaluating the usefulness of evolutionary theories for explaining ethnic phenomena and demonstrates how these theories can be applied in attempts to elucidate real-world behaviors. This study found that kinship theory that posits evolved dispositions to form cooperative bonds with family, ethnic groups and other social groups may go a long way in accounting for the formation of ethnic groups. Also, ingroup-outgroup theory may contribute to understanding how group conflict commences. Likewise, the description of evolved mechanisms for discerning threat, for building reputations, and for recognizing individuals, groups, and states as possible cooperators and long-term allies may facilitate explanation of the outbreak and avoidance of group conflicts. This also may explain the design of conscious strategies for conflict prevention and resolution. Nonetheless, several contributors take a more critical stance and offer ample reason why building these explanations may prove elusive or at least troublesome given the complex character of human societies. This work is a provocative resource for scholars, students, and other researchers involved with ethnicity and ethnic conflict, international relations, social psychology, and social anthropology. What can evolutionary theory say about ethnic phenomena? The roots of ethnic conflict: an evolutionary perspective A defense and an extension of Pierre van den Berghe's theory of ethnic nepotism Contributions of evolutionary thinking to theories of ethnic conflict and its management From ontology to analogy: evolutionary theories and the explanation of ethnic politics Primordialism, evolutionary theory, and the timing of ethnic conflict: opportunities and constraints for theory and policy Evolution, ethnicity, and propaganda: why negotiating with the innocent makes sense National identity in the Balkans: confessionalism to nationalism Regionalism and evolutionary theory in the former Soviet Union: Russian Kaliningrad, 1991-2000 Evolutionary models, third-party intervention, and ethnic conflict: does tough love really work? An evolutionary approach toward the drafting of autonomy agreements: applying theory to reality in the search for resolution of ethnic conflict. Annotation James, Goetze, and their contributors provide a scholarly attempt to evaluate the role that evolved dispositions and psychological mechanisms may play in the formation of ethnic groups, the outbreak of ethnic group conflict, and the design of strategies for preventing and resolving group conflicts Annotation Explores the general usefulness of evolutionary theory to the understanding of ethnic phenomena