GGH2601
Assignment 1
Semester 2 2025
Due 18 August 2025
, GGH2601
Assignment 1
Semester 2 2025
Due 18 August 2025
1. Diversity as a Driver of Conflict in Africa
Introduction: Diversity – Asset or Liability?
Africa's cultural richness is unparalleled, comprising over 3,000 ethnic groups, more
than 2,000 languages, and a wide spectrum of religious traditions. However, this
diversity, when poorly managed, often intensifies conflict rather than fostering cohesion.
This section examines how ethnic, linguistic, and religious pluralism can become
flashpoints for conflict when coupled with weak institutions, exclusionary politics, and
legacies of colonial rule.
Ethnic Diversity and Identity Politics
Contrary to popular narratives, ethnic diversity is not inherently conflictual. The real
danger lies in the politicization and instrumentalization of ethnic identities.
Historical Example – Rwanda:
The 1994 Rwandan Genocide, in which over 800,000 people were killed, stemmed from
long-standing ethnic manipulation. Belgian colonial policies codified and entrenched
Hutu-Tutsi divisions, granting privileges to the Tutsi minority. As Mamdani (2001)
argues, this was not a spontaneous ethnic clash, but a state-driven project of identity-
based exclusion and retaliation.
Postcolonial Nigeria:
The Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), also known as the Biafran War, was fueled by
ethnic rivalries, particularly involving the Igbo population in the southeast. Political elites
exploited ethnic narratives to secure regional power and control over natural resources
Assignment 1
Semester 2 2025
Due 18 August 2025
, GGH2601
Assignment 1
Semester 2 2025
Due 18 August 2025
1. Diversity as a Driver of Conflict in Africa
Introduction: Diversity – Asset or Liability?
Africa's cultural richness is unparalleled, comprising over 3,000 ethnic groups, more
than 2,000 languages, and a wide spectrum of religious traditions. However, this
diversity, when poorly managed, often intensifies conflict rather than fostering cohesion.
This section examines how ethnic, linguistic, and religious pluralism can become
flashpoints for conflict when coupled with weak institutions, exclusionary politics, and
legacies of colonial rule.
Ethnic Diversity and Identity Politics
Contrary to popular narratives, ethnic diversity is not inherently conflictual. The real
danger lies in the politicization and instrumentalization of ethnic identities.
Historical Example – Rwanda:
The 1994 Rwandan Genocide, in which over 800,000 people were killed, stemmed from
long-standing ethnic manipulation. Belgian colonial policies codified and entrenched
Hutu-Tutsi divisions, granting privileges to the Tutsi minority. As Mamdani (2001)
argues, this was not a spontaneous ethnic clash, but a state-driven project of identity-
based exclusion and retaliation.
Postcolonial Nigeria:
The Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), also known as the Biafran War, was fueled by
ethnic rivalries, particularly involving the Igbo population in the southeast. Political elites
exploited ethnic narratives to secure regional power and control over natural resources
