Structural violence and horizontal inequalities: conflict in southern Kyrgyzstan. (2nd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Commercio, Michele E.
• Is Part Of: Politics, groups, and identities. Volume 6:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 764
• Page End: 784
• Publication Date: 2018-10-02
• Subjects: Kyrgyzstan -- Osh -- ethnic conflict -- identity -- women -- gender; Identity (Psychology) -- Periodicals; Political psychology -- Periodicals; Sex -- Periodicals; Ethnicity -- Periodicals; Ethnicity; Identity (Psychology); Political psychology; Sex; Periodicals; 320
• DOI: 10.1080/21565503.2017.1301822
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2156-5503

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article, which offers a new theoretical explanation of the violence between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks that emerged in southern Kyrgyzstan in 2010, explores the importance of historical legacies through structure and grievance-based theoretical approaches to conflict. In so doing, it argues that structural violence born in the pre-Soviet era fueled the 1990 riots, persisted and generated contradictions for Osh Kyrgyz and Osh Uzbeks during the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, and ultimately caused the 2010 riots. The article draws on existing scholarship, primary sources, Russian-language newspapers, and data collected during fieldwork in Osh. Its main contribution is to further develop the theoretical literature on conflict by showing that economic and demographic horizontal inequalities can be just as explosive as political inequalities. The article concludes with a discussion of what persisting contradictions and post-conflict coping strategies reveal about contemporary social dynamics and future conflict in the region.