War, Impact of Ethnic Politics on

Rather than being a direct consequence of ethnic diversity, war is caused by ethnic politics when the principles of nationalism are violated. This happens when ethnic groups attempt to leave multiethnic states or when several ethnic groups perceive themselves as a national unit seeking unification. Irredentism combines these two cases. In this way, ethnic nationalism contributes to destabilizing the balance of power, but it also increases mobilization and the intensity of interstate warfare. Similarly, civil wars to a large extent result from a mismatch between ethnic and political borders. In particular, ethnic groups that are excluded from political power and economically disadvantaged are more likely to experience internal conflict than other groups.