Ross Marc Howard. Cultural Contestation in Ethnic Conflict

Cambridge University Press, 2007. — 388 p.Ethnic conflict often focuses on culturally charged symbols and rituals that evoke strong emotions from all sides. Marc Howard Ross examines battles over diverse cultural expressions and enactments, including Islamic headscarves in France, parades in Northern Ireland, holy sites in Jerusalem and Confederate flags in the American South, to propose a psychocultural framework for understanding ethnic conflict, as well as barriers to, and opportunities for, its mitigation. His analysis explores how culture frames interests, structures demand-making and shapes how opponents can find common ground to produce constructive outcomes to long-term disputes. He focuses on participants’ accounts of conflict to identify emotionally significant issues, and the power of cultural expressions to link individuals to larger identities and shape action. Ross shows that, contrary to popular belief, culture does not necessarily exacerbate conflict; rather, the constructed nature of psychocultural narratives can facilitate successful conflict mitigation through the development of more inclusive narratives and identities.
Marc Howard Ross is William Rand Kenan Jr. Professor of Political Science at Bryn Mawr College where he has taught since 1968. He has had a long term interest in social science theories of conflict management and has done research in East Africa, France, Northern Ireland, the Middle East, Spain, South Africa, and the United States. Professor Ross has written or edited six books including The Culture of Conflict (1993) and The Management of Conflict (1993)."Among the many strengths of this book are its wide range of case-studies which succeed in demonstrating the multiplicity of forms that cultural expression in conflict situations may take on: parades in Northern Ireland, the politics of archaeology in contested Jerusalem, Muslim headscarves in schools in France, and the controversy over exhibiting the Confederate flag in public places in the American South. This is a first-rate work sure to make a valuable contribution to courses in political science, sociology, anthropology and ethnic and conflict studies."
Kevin Avruch, Associate Director, Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution, George Mason University