Theorizing about ethnopolitics and international politics: Some conclusions from Cyprus

Abstract

Rising ethno‐nationalism and the increasing number and intensity of domestic ethnic conflicts around the world pose new questions and challenges to the student of ethnic and international politics. Ethnic conflicts tend to transcend state boundaries and become major issues in international politics because of cross‐boundary ethnic ties and patterns of interdependence. Interaction between domestic and external factors plays an important role in determining the causes, dynamics and effects of the conflicts at both the domestic and the international level. In this article, some basic concepts and relationships drawing some guidelines for the study of domestic ethnic conflicts in an international context are presented and discussed. The case of Cyprus is used to illustrate some main points and generalizations.