Ethnic Dynamics in Afghanistan and Pakistan

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Questions and Answers

What was the purpose of the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001?

To overthrow the Taliban for harboring terrorists.

What are the two predominant ethnic groups in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan?

Baluchi (correct)

Punjabi

Sindhi

Pashtun (correct)

Define ethnic cleansing.

A purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas.

How did World War II impact ethnic groups in Europe?

Millions of ethnic Germans, Poles, Russians, and other groups were forced to migrate as a result of boundary changes. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the ethnic conflict in Yugoslavia.

Yugoslavia faced internal rivalries among ethnicities leading to ethnic cleansing and its eventual breakup into several countries. Signup and view all the answers

What are the four steps often found in ethnic cleansing?

<ol> <li>Move military equipment into a village. 2. Round up and segregate the people. 3. Force the rest to leave. 4. Destroy the vacated village.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Define balkanized.

A small geographic area that could not successfully be organized into stable countries because of many ethnicities with complex antagonisms. Signup and view all the answers

Define balkanization.

The process by which a state breaks down through conflicts among its ethnicities. Signup and view all the answers

How did colonialism create a conflict between ethnicity and nationalism in Africa?

European colonialism imposed boundaries that did not match historical ethnic distributions, leading to mixed ethnic populations in newly independent states. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the various aspects of ethnic cleansing in Sudan.

In Darfur, black African ethnicities faced genocide and ethnic cleansing by Arab nomads; South Sudan saw a devastating war and ethnic conflicts. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis in central Africa.

The conflict involved Hutus, who were farmers, and Tutsis, who were cattle herders. It led to genocide and civil wars following Rwanda's independence. Signup and view all the answers

Define ethnicity.

Derived from a place on Earth's surface; identity with a group of people who share the cultural traditions of a particular homeland or hearth. Signup and view all the answers

Define race.

Identity with a group of people who are perceived to share a physiological trait, such as skin color. Signup and view all the answers

Define nationality.

Identity with a group of people who share legal attachment to a particular country. Signup and view all the answers

What are some problems of determining ethnicity?

An individual's two parents may identify with different ethnicities, races, and nationalities. Many societies confuse these concepts. Signup and view all the answers

Explain President Obama as an example of the difficulty of defining someone's ethnicity.

Barack Obama chose to identify as African American, despite having a Luo father from Kenya and an American mother of English descent. Signup and view all the answers

What are some different ethnicities found in the U.S.?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

Define racism.

The belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities, resulting in superiority of a particular race. Signup and view all the answers

Define racist.

A person who subscribes to the beliefs of racism. Signup and view all the answers

What are some problems in taking the census with Hispanic Americans?

The census considers Hispanic to be an ethnicity, leading to various racial identifications. Signup and view all the answers

What are the clusters of different American ethnicities?

Hispanics in the Southwest, African Americans in the Southeast, Asian Americans in the West, and Native Americans in the Southwest and north-central states. Signup and view all the answers

Define ethnic enclave.

A place with a high concentration of an ethnic group that is distinct from those in the surrounding area. Signup and view all the answers

What are some reasons why ethnic enclaves developed?

New immigrants locate where same ethnicity clusters for support, cultural traditions, and economic opportunities. Signup and view all the answers

Define ethnoburb.

A suburban area with a cluster of a particular ethnic population. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the complexity of Brazil's ethnicities.

Brazil has many ethnic roots, primarily from Portugal and West Africa, with indigenous populations and mixed heritage. Signup and view all the answers

What is Triangular Trade?

A practice where European ships transported slaves from Africa to the Caribbean, molasses to Europe, and goods to Africa. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two primary trends of internal migration of African Americans?

Interregional migration from the South to northern cities and intraregional migration from ghettos to suburban neighborhoods. Signup and view all the answers

Define sharecropper.

A person who works fields rented from a landowner and pays with a share of the crops. Signup and view all the answers

What are motivating factors for African American interregional migration?

Expansion of factories during the world wars created job opportunities, prompting migration. Signup and view all the answers

Define white flight.

The emigration of whites from an area in anticipation of blacks moving into the area. Signup and view all the answers

Define blockbusting.

A process by which real estate agents convinced white homeowners to sell at low prices, fearing property value declines. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how the policy of 'separate but equal' impacted ethnic distribution in America.

Restrictions prevented blacks from moving into all-white neighborhoods, leading to persistent urban clustering. Signup and view all the answers

What two important events ended 'separate but equal'?

The Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision and the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s. Signup and view all the answers

Define apartheid.

Laws that physically separated different races into different geographic areas in South Africa. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how ethnicity played a role in dividing people in South Africa.

Under apartheid, individuals were classified into racial groups, enforcing geographic isolation. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between ethnicity and nationality?

Ethnicity is based on cultural values; nationality is based on legal attachments to a country. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the differences among the four English nationalities: English, Welsh, Scots, and Irish.

English: descendants of Germanic tribes; Welsh: Celtic people conquered by England; Scots: Celtic group with historical independence; Irish: ruled by England until 20th century. Signup and view all the answers

Define nationalism.

Loyalty and devotion to a nationality, promoting national consciousness and prioritizing its culture. Signup and view all the answers

What is a centripetal force in the context of nationality?

An attitude, like nationalism, that tends to unify people and enhance state support. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the conflict in India in detail.

The British partitioned India in 1947, leading to a divide based on religious groups, causing migration and conflict. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the Kurds as an example of one ethnicity divided among several countries.

The Kurds are a distinct ethnic group divided mainly between Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Signup and view all the answers

What are some ethnicities in Turkey?

75% Ethnic Turks, with Kurds as the largest minority at 18%. Signup and view all the answers

What are the main religious groups in Lebanon?

54% Muslim, 41% Christian, 5% Druze. Signup and view all the answers

What is the composition of Iraq's population?

55% Shiite Muslim Arabs, 21% Kurds, 19% Muslim Arabs. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Concepts of Ethnicity

Ethnicity is linked to a geographic location, representing a group's cultural traditions tied to a specific homeland.
Race differs from ethnicity as it focuses on perceived physical traits rather than geographic origins.
Nationality refers to a legal connection to a country, encompassing shared citizenship rather than cultural lineage.

Challenges in Defining Ethnicity

Complexities arise when individuals have parents from different ethnic or racial backgrounds.
Societies often conflate race, ethnicity, and nationality, leading to blurred definitions.

Case Study: Barack Obama

Obama’s mixed heritage includes Luo from Kenya (father) and English descent from the U.S. (mother), yet he identifies as African American.

Ethnicities in the U.S.

Hispanic Americans: Originating from Latin America; preference for specific national identities rather than broad labels; clustered in the Southwest.
Asian Americans: Diverse backgrounds, with 19% identifying as Asian American; many prefer their country of origin identification.
African Americans: Descendants of enslaved Africans from various regions; concentrated in the Southeast due to historical migration patterns.
Indigenous Peoples: Includes various groups, primarily Native Americans; significant population representing distinct cultures.

Racism and Its Implications

Racism is the belief that race determines inherent qualities and superiority.
A racist is someone who holds such beliefs, potentially leading to social division.

Census Issues

Difficulties arise in census-taking as Hispanic Americans identify with multiple racial frameworks; African Americans face distinctions between ethnic and racial classifications.

Ethnic Clusters in America

Hispanics: Predominantly found in the Southwest and California.
African Americans: Concentrated in the Southeastern U.S.
Asian Americans: Clustered in the West, especially California, and represent a significant proportion in Hawaii.
Native Americans: Mainly found in the Southwest and northern plains.

Ethnic Enclaves

Ethnic enclaves form through clustering of similar backgrounds in urban neighborhoods, providing social and economic support for new immigrants.

Brazil's Ethnic Diversity

Ethnic mix including descendants of Portuguese, Africans, Asians, and Indigenous peoples; Brazilians identify with many races, creating a unique cultural landscape.

Forced Migration Effects

The transatlantic slave trade led to the forced migration of Africans, impacting current ethnic distributions in the Americas.

Internal Migration Patterns

African Americans migrated from the South to northern cities and subsequently to suburban areas as economic opportunities shifted.

Terms of Migration

Sharecropper: Individuals working on land rented from an owner and compensating through a share of the crop.
White Flight: The exodus of white residents in anticipation of demographic changes due to black immigration.

Historical Context

"Separate but equal" policies historically enforced racial segregation, influencing today's ethnic distributions and residential patterns.
Apartheid laws in South Africa strictly segregated races into defined areas, demonstrating the complexity of ethnic identities.

Ethnicities and Nationality

Ethnicity is shaped by cultural markers like religion and language; nationality involves legal duties such as voting and civic responsibilities.

Ethnic Conflicts and Divisions

The partition of India in 1947 caused massive migrations and violence, influenced by religious identities (Hindus vs. Muslims).
The Kurds represent a significant ethnicity split across multiple nations, establishing an ethnic identity despite political borders.

Current Ethnic Diversities in Countries

Turkey: Majority ethnic Turks with a significant Kurdish minority.
Lebanon: A mix of various religious groups resulting in historical civil conflict.
Syria and Iraq: Diverse ethnic groups and religious tensions, particularly between Arabs and Kurds.
Iran: Predominantly Persians, with a history of Shiite Islamic governance.
Afghanistan and Pakistan: Composed of multiple ethnicities; conflict exacerbated by historical governance and Taliban rule.

Ethnic Cleansing

Defined as policies aimed at forcibly removing one ethnic group from a geographic area, often through violence and terror.

Post-War Ethnic Displacement

World War II caused significant migration due to post-war boundary changes, affecting ethnic distributions across Europe.

Ethnic Conflict in the Balkans

The breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s led to ethnic cleansing as new national borders clashed with the distribution of ethnic groups, stemming from historical rivalries.### Ethnic Conflict in the Former Yugoslavia

Bosnia

Most ethnically diverse region in Yugoslavia with significant populations of Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks (Muslims).
Serbs and Croats aimed to merge their territories with Serbia and Croatia instead of supporting a multi-ethnic state.
Ethnic cleansing targeted Bosniaks to establish ethnically homogeneous regions favorable for union with Serbia and Croatia.
In 1996, peace agreement divided Bosnia into three regions dominated by Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs.
Currently, Bosnia is relatively peaceful.

Kosovo

Ethnic Albanians (82%) and Serbs (10%) were the main groups during the Yugoslavia breakup.
Historic Serb defeat in Kosovo (1389) led to long-standing tension; Serbs were given control in early 1900s.
Ethnic cleansing in Kosovo aimed at the Albanian majority by Serbs.
NATO intervened with airstrikes against Serbia, leading to their withdrawal.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, causing many Serbs to leave.

Croatia

Croatia declared independence in 1991 amid the break-up of Yugoslavia.
Ethnic Serbs made up 12% of the population and rebelled to form Republic of Serbian Krajina.
Ethnic cleansing by Serbs expelled 170,000 Croats from eastern parts of Croatia.
The conflict concluded in 1995 with a Croatian victory, resulting in the expulsion of 20,000 Serbs and the departure of 180,000 Serbs.

Definitions

Balkanized

Describes a small geographic area unable to establish stable countries due to multiple ethnicities harboring deep-seated antagonisms.

Balkanization

The process of a state’s breakdown due to conflicts among its various ethnic groups.

Colonialism and Ethnic Conflict in Africa

European colonialism fragmented Africa into colonies without considering ethnic distributions.
Upon gaining independence, newly formed states reflected colonial borders, not historical ethnic groupings.
This led to states with diverse ethnicities and divisions extending across multiple nations, fueling ethnic tensions.

Ethnic Cleansing in Sudan

Darfur

Rebellion by Black African ethnicities in 2003 against Arab-dominated government due to discrimination.
Janjaweed (Arab nomads) perpetrated violence, resulting in 450,000 deaths and 2.5 million displaced.
Victims live in refugee camps facing harsh conditions.

South Sudan

Civil war from 1983 to 2005 between northern Arab Muslims and southern Christian/Dinka Nuer ethnicities, resulting in 1.9 million deaths and 700,000 displaced.
The conflict originated from resistance to Muslim laws imposed by the North.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011, but continues to struggle with stability due to diverse ethnicities.

Abeyi

Conflict along the border with South Sudan; home to ethnicities associated with both nations.
Referendum to decide the status of Abeyi was postponed.
Monitored by Ethiopian peacekeepers.

South Kordofan/Blue Nile

Regions with various ethnic alignments to both Sudan and South Sudan.
A postponed referendum to determine territorial status aggravates tensions.

Eastern Front

Eastern ethnicities rose against Sudanese government in pursuit of oil profits, supported by Eritrea.

Hutu and Tutsi Conflict in Central Africa

Hutus, established farmers in Rwanda and Burundi, contrasted with Tutsi cattle herders migrating from Kenya.
Tutsis held power historically until the end of colonial rule led to Hutu dominance and subsequent genocide against Tutsis.
Civil war initiated in 1990 by Tutsi descendants; this led to a balance of genocidal violence in both Rwanda and Burundi.
Genocide in Rwanda escalated following political assassinations in 1994, culminating in mass violence by Hutus.
Current governance: Tutsis control Rwanda; Hutus democratically elected in Burundi since 2005.
Conflict spread to Congo, impacting regional dynamics and leading to ongoing violence.

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Description

Explore the ethnic complexities and historical context of Afghanistan and Pakistan. This quiz focuses on the key issues arising from ethnic differences, the impact of the 2001 invasion, and the definition of ethnic cleansing. Test your understanding of the intricate relationships among various ethnic groups in the region.