This setting lets you change the way you view articles. You can choose to have articles open in a dialog window, a new tab, or directly in the same window.
Open in Dialog
Open in New Tab
Open in same window
Open in New Tab
Open in same window
American Economic Review: Vol. 98 No. 5 (December 2008)
AER Volume. 98, Issue 5 | 
Previous ArticleNext Article
Sign up for Email Alerts Follow us on Twitter
AER Forthcoming Articles
Full-text Article
Link to Appendix (53.35 KB)
Previous ArticleNext Article
Expand
Quick Tools:
Print Article Summary Email Link to this Article Export CitationSign up for Email Alerts Follow us on Twitter
Explore:
AER Forthcoming Articles
On the Salience of Ethnic Conflict
Article Citation
Esteban, Joan, and
Debraj Ray. 2008. "On the Salience of Ethnic Conflict."
American Economic Review,
98(5): 2185-2202.
DOI: 10.1257/aer.98.5.2185
DOI: 10.1257/aer.98.5.2185
Abstract
A classical theme in social analysis views economic class divisions as the main cause of social conflict. Yet many, if not most of the conflicts we observe today appear to be ethnic in nature. It appears that the "vertical" nature of class divisions is often dominated by the "horizontal" antagonisms across groups delineated by noneconomic markers. This paper highlights the perverse synergy of economic inequality within ethnic groups, and its role in the salience of ethnic conflict. In a model of group formation which allows both class and ethnic groupings to emerge, we show that ethnic, as opposed to class, conflict may be focal, and precisely in the presence of economic inequality. (JEL D72, D74)
Article Full-Text Access
Full-text Article
Additional Materials
Link to Appendix (53.35 KB)
Authors
Esteban, Joan (CSIC)
Ray, Debraj (NYU)
Ray, Debraj (NYU)
JEL Classifications
D72: Models of Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
D74: Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances
D74: Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances
