Gordian Knot: Analysis of United States Support to Ethnic-Based 'Resistance' Movements

摘要

Ethnic conflict is a Post-Cold War issue plaguing many states as the international system moves towards a 'New World Order'. Despite the importance of ethnic-based violence and neo-nationalistic social revolutions, current conflict theories do not adequately explain the fundamental dynamics of ethnic conflict or provide clear prescriptive policy guidance. This research project articulates a model that describes, explains, and prescribes ethnic conflict. First, it provides a method to objectively examine and describe the fundamentals of ethnic-based conflicts. Second, the paradigm provides decision makers with important prescriptions for foreign and domestic policies vis-a-vis ethnic conflict. To accomplish this goal, the research paper is divided into three main sections. Section one outlines the Political Ethnicity Theory. This four-part paradigm provides a simple, yet powerful, theoretical tool for analyzing ethnic conflict. Section two applies the theory to two case studies: Nicaragua and Yugoslavia-Kosovo. Section three applies the conclusions drawn to guide policy decisions at both the international and domestic level.