Interethnic relations are relations between nations. They can carry out at the level of both the interaction of peoples in various spheres of public life, and at the level of interpersonal relations of people of different ethnicities.
Types of Interethnic Relations
Interethnic relations are a multidimensional phenomenon. They are divided into two main areas - these are relations between nationalities within the same state and relations between different nation-states. In the Russian language, the terms ethnos and nationality are similar in meaning, therefore interethnic relations are often also called interethnic relations.
The forms of interaction between ethnic groups distinguish between peaceful cooperation and ethnic conflict.
The main forms of peaceful cooperation include ethnic mixing and ethnic absorption. With ethical mixing, various ethnic groups spontaneously mix with each other for many years, the result is the formation of a single nation. Often this happens through interethnic marriages (for example, this is how many Latin American peoples formed).
As a result of ethnic absorption (assimilation), one people dissolves in another. Assimilation can be peaceful and violent.
The most civilized way of uniting peoples is a multinational state, in which the rights and freedoms of each nation are respected. In such states, several languages are state languages at once and not a single national minority is dissolved in the general culture. The concept of cultural pluralism is closely connected with a multinational state. It reflects the successful adaptation of one culture without prejudice to another.
Today, most states are multinational. The share of states in which the main ethnic community is an absolute majority - less than 19%. Thus, in most cases, different nationalities have to coexist on the same territory. True, they do not always succeed in doing this peacefully.
Interethnic conflict is a form of socio-political conflict between groups of people belonging to different ethnic groups. Its main features include ethnic separation of conflicting groups, politicization by ethical factors. Such ethnic conflicts are not valuable and occur around group interests. New participants in ethnic conflicts unite on the basis of a common ethnic identity, even if they do not share the group’s position.
