This study aims to answer two interlinked questions with respect to ethnic conflict in Georgia: Why and how two ethnic groups (Abkhazians and Ossetians) in Georgia sought secession in 1990s rather than accepting unity under a common Georgian roof, and what explains the occurrence of ethnic conflicts between the Abkhazians and Georgians and between the South Ossetians and Georgians? The central argument of this thesis is that Soviet nationality policy was a foremost driving force in shaping consciousness of being ethnic groups in Georgia and set the stage for the inter-ethnic conflicts of the post-Soviet era. A number of factors explain the particular inter-ethnic conflicts in Georgia among ethnic groups, including a long historical relationship between the Georgian people and the Abkhaz and Ossetian minorities, but I argue that the foremost factor was the role of Soviet nationality policy that evolved from Lenin to Gorbachev, a policy that granted ethnic groups some level of privileges and fostered a wave of national self-assertion, Soviet nationality policy and the Soviet federal structure created numerous ethnic- and territorial-based autonomous units during the Soviet era; these units shaped their own political institutions, national intelligentsias, and bureaucratic elites, forming the basis for later nationalistic movements and developing a wish for self-determination and full independence. These institutions and beliefs made ethnic conflict in a post-Soviet Georgia inevitable.

The aim of this dissertation is to examine inter-ethnic relations between organizationally active people with different ethnic backgrounds. I focus on relations that are based on a mutual interdependence between parties, mutual respect, common procedural rules, real opportunities that expressly approve or reject a proposal in a decision or deliberation situation free from compulsion, where people, who have different ethnic backgrounds, strive after insight and understanding in their relations. In this dissertation I present three empirical cases about cooperation, consultation and participation as forms of inter-ethnic relations from the organizational fields in the society. These cases are examples of what I characterize as “organizing inter-ethnicity”, or organizing people with different ethnic backgrounds around common concerns. Organizing inter-ethnicity is in turn a part of organizing and integrating diversity in society. Drawing on the results of three case studies, I distinguish between opportunities and barriers. My case studies clearly illustrate that the tensions that influence the patterns of and variation in opportunities and barriers have sources that reach well beyond ethnicity. Tensions between old and new organizations, between working immigrant organizations and refugee organizations, between organizations from same group or between organizations that have conflicts from their members’ countries of origin provide some examples of the difficulties that generate barriers to broad interest constellations between organizations.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:00:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5805.pdf: 6556317 bytes, checksum: f12b1dace4d7ccbd4511d2a57dc62995 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-07-04 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / This research aims to explore the anthropological debate on sportive practices through the description and analysis of dispute modes in different contexts. In the literature of sportive practices anthropology, football has frequently been used as a framework for research into indigenous societies; expanding on these theoretical models developed for football allows for greater understanding into the rituals within the society to which they belong, and to highlight the relationship between football and other practices. The ethnographic study proposes the Upper Xingu from researches conducted with the Kalapalo peoples of Tanguro village, hence the emphasis on wrestling in Alto Xingu (kal. ikindene). Anthropological themes highlighted on the peoples of the region, such as the construction of the body, chieftaincy, complex inter-ethnic rituals and mythology are directly linked to the wrestling. The objectives also include a more positive assessment for what was termed as "sportive practices" within indigenous societies, ethnographically in the Upper Xingu. This is not only to realize the "sportive" nature of these activities, but above all to understand the symbolic space for each mode, whether in the village, or in rituals disputes that renegotiate the dynamics of alliances and rivalries in this regional complex. / Essa pesquisa pretende ampliar o debate antropológico sobre práticas esportivas através da descrição e análise de modalidades disputadas em diferentes contextos. Na literatura de antropologia das práticas esportivas o que se tem de mais consolidado são trabalhos que tomam o futebol como referência, mesmo quando de pesquisas em sociedades indígenas. Nesse caminho, a expansão dos modelos teóricos elaborados para o futebol possibilita entender seus significados no interior da sociedade em que está inserido, além de trazer à tona relações entre o futebol e outras práticas. O recorte etnográfico proposto é o Alto Xingu, em pesquisas realizadas entre os Kalapalo da aldeia Tanguro, donde o destaque para a luta alto-xinguana (kal. ikindene). Temas antropológicos destacados sobre os povos da região, como a fabricação do corpo, chefia, complexo ritual interétnico e mitologia, estão diretamente atrelados à luta. Os objetivos compreendem ainda uma visão mais positiva para aquilo que foi denominado como "esportividade ameríndia", etnograficamente no Alto Xingu. Não se trata apenas de perceber o caráter "esportificado" de algumas atividades, mas acima de tudo compreender o espaço simbólico destinado a cada modalidade, seja no plano da aldeia, seja nas disputas rituais que atualizam a dinâmica de alianças e rivalidades nesse complexo regional.

En el marco del proceso de autodeterminación de ‘territorios integrales indígenas’ impulsado por la Coordinadora Regional de losPueblos Indígenas (CORPI), las organizaciones awajún y wampishan venido definiendo sus territorios en una serie de encuentros intra e interétnicos, objetivando de esta manera la relación que estospueblos, considerados como unidades sociopolíticas, mantienen consus respectivos espacios geográficos. En ese sentido, este proceso de autonomización indígena interactúa con los modelos y las instituciones políticas del Estado. En el presente artículo, a partir denuestra participación en la realización de informes antropológicos destinados a sustentar la demanda de reconocimiento de ‘territorios integrales’, intentaremos describir y analizar las dinámicas de autonomía local, alianzas supralocales y fronteras interétnicas que caracterizan la territorialidad de los awajún y wampis y cómo tales dinámicas se movilizan frente a la presión cada vez más constantede la sociedad nacional y el capitalismo global. / In the framework of the self-determination process of ‘indigenous integral territories’ led by the Coordinadora Regional de los Pueblos Indígenas (CORPI), the Awajún and Wampis organizations have been defining their territories in a series of intra- and inter-ethnic meetings, objectifying their relationship with their respective geographic areas. In this sense, such process of indigenous autonomization interacts with State models and political institutions. In this paper,on the basis of our participation in anthropological reports to support the demand for recognition of ‘integral territories’, we try todescribe and analyze the dynamics of local autonomy, supra-local alliances and inter-ethnic borders among the Awajún and Wampis and how such dynamics have mobilized them facing the increasing pressure by the national society and global capitalism.

Inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic violent conflict created a divide in Cyprus (1950-1974) that still exists to this day. This study explores specifically an effect of violent conflict – Missing Persons – and the ‘process of exhumations,’ which is defined as; the recovery of Missing Persons, identification, and reunification of the Missing with loved ones as a key component of peacebuilding via inter-ethnic reconciliation and restorative justice. This process is important for peacebuilding because it empowers individuals, communities, and nation-states to satisfy basic human psycho-social needs in order to deal with the trauma of past violence, to recognize loss, and to seek closure of uncertainty to prevent the transgenerational transmission of trauma and escalation of violence between and within ethnic societies. By interviewing eight experts on the Cypriot conflict about what the ‘process of exhumations’ does in Cyprus, revealed the challenges and successes that may arise during and after the process for sustainable peace. / February 2016

This thesis concerns the differences in how ethinic groups co-exist in two different environments in the same country, with a focus on the ethno-political. My research questions are: Why are ethnic or interpersonal relations characterized differently in different regions? How and why do conflicts or agreements arise in specific environments? The aim is to understand the connection between inter-ethnic relations and environmentally specific factors. I am concerned with those mechanisms and processes which determine the type of ethnic relation – as conflict or mutual understanding - in specific environments. The thesis uses case studies of two contrasting multiethnic cities with different interethnic relations – Erbil and Kirkuk in Kurdistan/Iraq. My explanatory model consists of four main factors: I) historical factors in terms of critical events; II) institutional factors such as institutional efficiency and security; III) structural factors such as group size, territorial base and different tolerance systems; and IV) social relational factors such as the significance of inter-ethnic contacts and social capital. The empirical work demonstrates that the relations between the above mentioned factors in the respective environments determine the outcome of the inter-ethnic relations. The results show that one factor can be more important than another factor, but how the factors impact upon one another and under what circumstances is of significance. The presentation of environmentally specific differences shows that ethnic groups do not have static boundaries and are not necessarily hostile to one another. Conflict is not the given form of relationship between ethnic groups. That is, the result can be read as a critique of those who necessarily see potential conflicts between groups with cultural differences and those who essentialize cultural groups. In this context one can see a chain of interrelated factors; the relevance of which is dependent on the specific situation. Some of the negative factors that can increase the possibility of conflict and decrease the possibility for peaceful co-existence include: Instability in the political climate; insecurity; institutional ineffectiveness; segregation; undefined relations of power; and an ethnic composition maintaining the balance of power. If these factors combined result in a high level of complexity, which makes ethnicity stand out in terms of ethnic competition, the likelihood of ethnic conflict is significant.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:01:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4693.pdf: 2900732 bytes, checksum: 128fae6ab8e1a1299a8a5f2be405b029 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-06 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / The Brazilian State, in order to start a new political relationship with indigenous communities, implemented, in 1999, the National Policy of Attention to Indigenous Health (PNASPI), through the National Health Foundation (FUNASA) and 34 Special Indigenous Sanitary Districts (DSEIs) located in the national territory. The new health policy for the indigenous areas, structured within the differentiated attention Subsystem and integrated into the Unified Health System (SUS), proposed a participatory model of Civil Society-State comanagement, via council or public policy managers, cooperation agreements with NGOs and other participatory experiences. Just likeit probably occurred in other indigenous territories, the implementation of a new State Agency in the Xingu brought a creative process of political and cultural adaptationto local leaders, generating the possibility of an inter-ethnic negotiation field. It was therefore from this political scenario that the research proposed to understand the indigenous leaders' forms of practice and their representations. Thus, it sought to observe the strategies of the region s representatives who "make pacts" and "negotiate" with the various organizations responsible for the implementation of health public policies (FUNASA, City Halls and NGOs), oriented by constitutional principles that ensure (universal) rights and (differentiated) specificities regarding preventive health care to these and all other indigenous groups within the national territory. The analysis of these forms of organization and political activity also sought to observe how the implementation of the health policy and its institutional arrangements generated a redesigning of the policy practices established between indigenous peoples and the State. Thus, even though indigenous leaders have not articulated a homogeneous position regarding the State's "offer" of partnership through NGOs and management councils,many of which with goals to ensure recognition and political spaces both in the national scene and in their traditional systems of organization, they started a project that pursues the enlargement of the memberships and a change in the organizational structure of the State.The movement, conducted by the leaders of the Alto Xingu, involves a participatory model of comanagement, whose practice does not dispense a few moments of consummation of the identity among the actors who make up this participatory experience. / O Estado brasileiro, visando a ensaiar uma nova relação política com as comunidades indígenas, implantou, em 1999, a Política Nacional de Atenção à Saúde Indígena (PNASPI), através da Fundação Nacional de Saúde (FUNASA) e de 34 Distritos Sanitários Especiais Indígenas(DSEIs)localizadosao longo do território nacional. A nova política sanitária para as áreas indígenas, estruturada no Subsistema de atenção diferenciada integrado ao Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), propôs um modelo participativo de cogestão Estado-Sociedade Civil, via conselhos gestores ou de políticas públicas, convênios de cooperação com ONGs e outras experiências participativas. Assim como, provavelmente, ocorreu em outros territórios indígenas, a implementação de uma nova agência estatal na Terra Indígena do Xingu imprimiu aos líderes locais todo um processo político-cultural de adaptação criativa, gerando-se as condições de possibilidade de um campo de negociação interétnica. Portanto, foi a partir desse cenário político que a pesquisa propôs-se a apreender as formas de atuação dos líderes indígenas e suas representações. Procurou-se, assim, observar as estratégias dos representantes alto-xinguanos que pactuam e negociam junto aos diversos órgãos responsáveis pela implementação de políticas públicas em saúde (FUNASA; prefeituras; e ONGs), orientadas por princípios constitucionais que asseguram a esses e aos demais grupos aldeados no território nacional, ao mesmo tempo, direitos (universais) e especificidades (diferenciadas) nos cuidados preventivos e de atenção à saúde. A análise dessas formas de organização e de atuação política buscou, ainda, observar como a implementação da política sanitária, com seus arranjos institucionais,gerouum redimensionamento das práticas políticas estabelecidas até então, entre povos indígenas e o Estado. Portanto, mesmo que os líderes indígenasnão tenham articulado uma posição homogênea diante da oferta estatal de parceria por meio de ONGs e conselhos gestores, muitos com objetivos de garantir reconhecimento e espaços políticos tanto no cenário nacional quanto nos seus sistemas tradicionais de organização, deflagraram um projeto que persegue o alargamento das participações e uma mudança na estrutura organizativa do Estado.Esse movimento, realizado pelos líderes do Alto Xingu, envolve um modelo participativo de cogestão, cuja prática também não dispensa alguns momentos de consumação da identidade entre os atores que compõem essa experiência participativa.

The submitted diploma thesis is focused on the refugee phenomenon and its classification among international migration issues as such, while the interest is focused mainly on immigration from third-world countries into European Union, accenting the Czech Republic. In this context, causes of growing tendency in international protection applicant and economic migrant numbers, but also responses caused by this fact, are being discussed. To enable a closer look at the multi-ethnic co-habitation character, there is secondary empirical data outlining the current situation of the majority´s relationship towards the ethnic and national plurality with regard to migration crisis given on the one hand, and determinants influencing the creation of different citizen attitudes on the other hand. Last but not least, there is some space left for chosen interactive education methods and didactic material based on them, which is useful when teaching about the controversial refugee issue in lessons of Civics.

Ever since Kosovo’s declared Independence in 2008, the nation has opted for a multi-ethnic approach by adopting a legal framework that contains several laws promoting and protecting minority rights, although these have remained rather stagnant in implementation. The minorities in Kosovo have furthermore been affected by the Serb-Albanian relations and inter-ethnic tensions by creating divisions and societal challenges. The purpose of this study is to examine the current situation for minorities in Kosovo, along with studying the limitations and possibilities of the implementation of minority rights and societal opportunities. Additionally, this is a case study based on the experiences and views of Torbeshis being a minority in Kosovo which exemplifies the situation of how minority rights are expressed in a social and political context. The  methodological approach of semi-structured interviews was applied which provided the primary data consisting of empirical findings and results from interviews. The data was then analyzed with the assistance of the theoretical framework of social constructivism, along with the intersectionality concept as a complementary tool with an applied narrative analysis. The results indicated that the inadequate implementation of rights is the common denominator concerning minorities' situation, possibilities, limitations and experiences. The focus of the international community on Serb-Albanian relations has further shifted the attention from minority issues. Although the legislative framework is advanced, minorities generally seem to face more limitations than possibilities, with potential for a positive turn. Minorities face limitations such as security concerns, freedom of movement caused by linguistic obstacles, together with restricted participation and access in political life. The Torbeshis face similar issues as mentioned, together with forms of discrimination, ethnic redefinition, assimilation and interrelationship between to major ethnic groups. / Sedan Kosovos förklarade självständighet 2008 antog konstitutionen en lagstiftningsram innehållande flera lagar som främjar och skyddar minoritetsrättigheter, men trots implementeringen har dessa lagar förblivit relativt stillastående i praktiken. Kosovo definierar därmed sig själva som ett multietniskt samhälle i samband med fastställandet av dessa lagar. Minoriteterna i Kosovo har dessutom påverkats av Kosovos efterkrigstid och den Serbisk-Albanska dynamiken där spänningar mellan etniska grupper förekommer i landet och skapar diverse splittringar och samhällsutmaningar för minoriteterna. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka den aktuella situationen för minoriteter i Kosovo, tillsammans med de existerande begränsningar och möjligheter som finns för implementeringen av minoritetsrättigheter och samhällsmöjligheter. Studien tillämpar en fallstudie som utvärderar Torbesjers erfarenheter av att vara en minoritet, vilket illustrerar hur den nuvarande situationen av minoritetsrättigheter uttrycks i en viss social och politisk kontext. Det metodologiska tillvägagångssättet som tillämpas är semistrukturerade intervjuer och utgör det primära materialet bestående av resultat från intervjuer samt empirisk data. Datan analyserades sedan med hjälp av det teoretiska ramverket social konstruktivism med intersektionalitetskonceptet som ett kompletterande verktyg, och slutligen applicerades en narrativ analys för att behandla datan. Resultatet av studien visar på att den otillräckliga implementeringen av rättigheterna är den gemensamma nämnaren när det kommer till minoriteters situation, möjligheter, begränsningar och erfarenheter. Det omfattande fokus som läggs på relationen mellan serber och albaner av det internationella samfundet skiftar ytterligare uppmärksamhet från minoritetsfrågorna. Trots den avancerade lagstiftningsramen verkar minoriteter i Kosovo möta fler begränsningar än möjligheter, med potential för en positiv förändring. De begränsningar som minoriteter bemöter i Kosovo är säkerhetsproblem, rörelsefrihet, språkliga hinder, samt ett begränsat deltagande och tillgång i det politiska klimatet. Torbesjer står inför liknande problem, tillsammans med former av diskriminering, etnisk omdefiniering, assimilering och ett mellanförskap i förhållande till de etniska majoriteterna i landet.

Au Canada, les enfants autochtones sont surreprésentés dans les services de protection de l’enfance ainsi que dans les différents types de placement. En ce sens, le but de ce projet était de mieux comprendre la pratique des intervenants oeuvrant en centre jeunesse relativement aux décisions de compromission, de retrait du milieu familial et de placement (interethnique ou culturellement jumelé) des jeunes Autochtones. Les objectifs spécifiques qui découlaient de cet objectif général étaient au nombre de trois : 1. explorer, à travers le point de vue des intervenants oeuvrant à l’étape de l’évaluation/orientation, le processus de prise de décision en ce qui a trait à la compromission, ou non, de la sécurité ou du développement des jeunes autochtones; 2. explorer, à travers le point de vue des intervenants oeuvrant à l’étape de l’évaluation/orientation et de l’application des mesures (prise en charge), le processus de prise de décision en lien au retrait des jeunes autochtones de leur milieu familial et à leur orientation vers un placement en ressource de type familial (RTF) interethnique ou culturellement jumelé; 3. comprendre quels sont les facteurs qui influencent la prise de décision des intervenants dans les différentes étapes du processus de signalement et de prise en charge par rapport au placement des jeunes autochtones. Pour mener à bien ce projet, l’étudiante-chercheure a réalisé une première vague de cueillette de données, soit sept groupes de discussion composés d’intervenantes oeuvrant au sein d’un centre jeunesse situé en zone périphérique des grands centres et desservant plusieurs communautés autochtones. Puis, à partir des éléments ayant émergé de ce matériau, a procédé à une seconde vague, composée cette fois de seize entretiens individuels menés également auprès d’intervenantes oeuvrant à ce même centre jeunesse. La méthodologie utilisée était la théorisation ancrée, ce qui est cohérent avec le cadre théorique (ou concepts sensibilisateurs) utilisé, qui réfère pour sa part à l’interactionnisme symbolique (Blumer, 1969) de même qu’à la pratique réflexive et la construction des savoirs (Schön, 1994; Racine, 1995). Les résultats obtenus de ces deux phases ont permis de faire ressortir que le processus des intervenantes en ce qui concerne les décisions de compromission, de retrait et de placement des jeunes autochtones est hautement subjectif, dynamique et systémique. Il réfère aux caractéristiques intrinsèques des intervenantes (le Soi et le Savoir), à travers lesquels elles portent en fait un regard sur une multitude de contraintes (l’Autre et le Résultat des processus antérieurs et à venir) et parmi lesquelles on note, entre autres, le contexte de vie particulier des communautés autochtones, les caractéristiques liées aux dossiers des jeunes, les partenaires légaux, etc. Aussi, au fil de leurs interactions avec les contextes, les choses et les différents « autruis » auprès desquels elles oeuvrent ou avec qui elles collaborent (interactionnisme symbolique), de même qu’au gré des savoirs construits (Schön, 1994; Racine, 1995) qu’elles développent à mesure qu’elles gagnent en expérience, les intervenantes en sont venues à développer une façon particulière de prendre leurs décisions, façon qui, en fait, découle de pratiques silencieuses qui, ultimement, leur permettent de maintenir un certain équilibre au sein d’un système de protection peu adapté à la clientèle autochtone. À cet égard, plusieurs recommandations ont été formulées, dont des recommandations pour les centres jeunesse, ceci dans le but de favoriser une pratique qui soit davantage adaptée aux jeunes Autochtones vivant des situations de compromission, de retrait et de placement ainsi qu’à leur famille. / In Canada, Aboriginal children are over-represented in child welfare services as well as in different types of substitute care. In this sense, the goal of this project was the better understand the practice of child protection services workers in relation to decisions of compromise, family withdrawal from the family and placement (inter-ethnic or culturally matched) of Aboriginal youth. The specific objectives which flowed from this general objective were three in number: 1. explore, through the point of view of stakeholders working at the assessment/orientation stage, the decision-making process with regard to the compromise, or not, of the security or development of Aboriginal youth; 2. explore, through the point of view of stakeholders working at the assessment/orientation stage and application of measures stage, the decision-making process related to the withdrawal of Aboriginal youth from their family and their orientation towards an inter-ethnic or culturally matched foster family; 3. understand what are the factors which influence the decision-making of the interveners in the different stages of the process of reporting and application of measures in relation to the placement of Aboriginal youth. To carry out this project, the student-researcher carried out a first wave of data collection (seven focus groups made up of woman workers working in a child protection services located on the outskirts of major centres and providing services to several Aboriginal communities). Then, based on the elements that emerged from this material, a second wave proceeded, this time made up of sixteen one-on-one interviews, also carried out with workers working at the same child protection service. The methodology used is grounded theory, which is consistent with the theoretical framework (or sensitizing concepts) used, which refers to symbolic interactionism (Blumer, 1969) as well as reflective practice and the construction of knowledge (Schön, 1994; Racine, 1995). The results obtained from these two phases have shown that the workers’ process has to the decisions concerning the situation of endangerment, withdrawal and placement of Aboriginal youth is highly subjective, dynamic and systemic. It refers to the intrinsic characteristics of the workers (the Self and Knowledge), through which they actually examine a multitude of constraints (the Other and the Result of past and future processes) and among which we note, among other things, the particular life context of Aboriginal communities, characteristics related to youth files, legal partners, etc. Also, throughout their interactions with contexts, things and different “others” with whom they work or with whom they collaborate (symbolic interactionism), as well as the knowledge they build (Schön, 1994; Racine, 1995) that they develop as they gain experience, they have come to develop a particular way of making their decisions, a way that, in fact, stems from silent practices that, ultimately, allow them to maintain a certain balance within a protection system that is unsuitable for Aboriginal clients. In this regard, a number of recommendations were made, including recommendations for youth centres, with a view to promoting a practice that is more adapted to Aboriginal youth in endangered situations, withdrawal and placement and to their families.