Ethnic Division and Conflict

Flashcards covering key concepts related to ethnic divisions, nationalism, and historical events associated with ethnic conflict.

What were Jim Crow laws?

Legal statutes that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.

What system of racial segregation was established in South Africa?

Apartheid, which physically separated different races in distinct geographic areas.

How were individuals classified at birth in South Africa under apartheid?

Newborns were classified as black, white, colored, or Asian, determining their legal status and rights.

What is the difference between nationality and ethnicity?

Nationality involves legal attachment to a country, while ethnicity refers to groups with distinct ancestry and cultural traditions.

What is ethnic cleansing?

The process of forcibly removing a less powerful ethnic group to create an ethnically homogeneous region.

What event is synonymous with the term ethnic cleansing during World War II?

The Holocaust, where millions of Jews and other groups were exterminated.

What was the purpose of the forced migration during the Holocaust?

To eliminate members of minority ethnic groups through deportation to concentration camps.

What concept describes the division of ethnic groups in multiethnic states?

Balkanization, which refers to the fragmentation of a region into smaller, hostile units.

What triggered the creation of Pakistan and Bangladesh?

Ethnic and cultural differences between Muslims and Hindus at the end of British colonial rule.

What were the two main ethnic groups involved in the conflict in Rwanda in 1994?

The Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups.

What historical factors contributed to ethnic conflict in Africa?

Colonial boundaries often disregarded traditional ethnic distributions, leading to internal tensions.

What happens to ethnic groups when colonial powers redraw national boundaries?

Groups may become minorities in new nations, leading to conflict and discrimination.

What role did the Taliban play in Afghanistan's history?

The Taliban emerged as a powerful faction after gaining control in 1995, driven by Islamic fundamentalism.

How did the United States become indirectly involved with the Taliban?

By supplying weapons to Afghan rebel fighters during the Soviet invasion in the 1980s.

Describe the situation of Kurds in the Middle East.

Kurds are an ethnic group spread across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, often without a distinct nation.