Territorial Identity and Interethnic Relations

Abstract

In many regions of the world, the population is becoming increasingly heterogeneous in its ethnic composition, culture, and way of life. This is a consequence of economic and social internationalization, growing international and intrastate migration, and a rise in mixed marriages. Unfortunately, this natural process often heightens interethnic tension and sometimes leads to open conflicts that end in bloodshed. The state of interethnic relations depends on the evolution of identity within various social, territorial, and ethnic groups. This may occur quite rapidly because of the progress of mass communications. In recent years, the links between different levels of territorial identity—macroregional, national, ethnic, regional, and local—have become a subject of interdisciplinary research and the topic of several conferences (see, e.g., Kolossov and O'Loughlin, 1998).