POLS 016. Ethnic Politics: Elections, Conflict and Change

In media discourse and social science research, ethnic diversity and ethnic politics are viewed as threats to order and democracy.In this course we will consider the questions of where ethnic identities come from, how they change, and why we see non-violent political competition or violent conflict between groups in some cases and not others. Drawing on theories of social science and case studies from South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, among others, students will learn to think critically about these questions. This course will be useful for students interested in learning more about the role that ethnicity plays in developing countries and how to approach these questions in a rigorous manner.
Recommended: One social science course.
Social sciences.
1 credit.
Catalog chapter: Political Science
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/political-science

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