Religion versus ethnicity as a source of mobilisation: Are there differences?

The root causes of most violent conflicts lie in economic and political factors and inequalities of various types but usually, people are mobilised by ethnic or religious identities. This paper explores the differences and similarities between the use of religion and ethnicity in mobilising identities for conflict. In conflicts there are overlapping religious and ethnic identities which may reinforce the other. At times, one identity may dominate the other but sometimes there is no clarity which one is dominant.
 
The paper says leaders use both identities to mobilize their supporters and to differentiate them from others - the enemy. To convince followers takes considerable work over a long historical period preceding violence and consists of disparaging the other and convincing people that the other threatens the group and must be attacked for preservation of the group. In religion written texts are employed to achieve this objective but in ethnicity, the media is used because there are written ethnic texts.

The paper presents differences and similarities as follows:

• Religion has an organisational advantage since religious organisations already exist and that needed is conversion towards a mobilising objective. Religious organisations may find it easier to call on external supporters with similar beliefs
  
• Ethnic associations have also existed historically but they are less formal or may need to be formed. External support for ethnic wars may come from similar groups or external powers seeking to improve their own position
  
• Participants often have material and political motives and are aware of differences between them and the others. People are easily convinced about their ‘essential’ differences due to a deep human need to belong
  
• Evidence does not confirm that religion is likely to lead to more deadly, conflicts than ethnicity as some believe. But there have been more very large-scale episodes associated with ethnicity than with religion over the past years
  
• Where groups differ in both religion and in ethnicity, there is choice as to which is used for mobilisation.

The paper gives the following policy implications for conflict prevention:

• The root causes of conflict emanating from inequalities must be corrected because they lead to the politicisation of identities
  
• Policy should play a role in breaking the links between underlying root causes and actual mobilisation
  
• National and international stakeholders should observe a preventative policy of in-depth monitoring for warning signs and developing offsetting action.