An ethnic group is a faction of people who often have a comparable tradition and way of life. They may also relate to each other through common language and common religious beliefs. These people consciously belong to an ethnic group and their identity becomes clearer due the differences from other groups or factions.
Sectarianism on the other hand refers to the abhorrence, intolerance and prejudice resulting from the distinctions between various ethnic groups and religious political movements. These are normally triggered with the notion and belief of the members that their sects are superior to others.
A research paper on ethnic clashes and evolving sectarianism would involve you to provide various historical accounts of sectarian violence and ethnic clashes. You need to be able to research through various sources to find reliable and authentic information. You may use newspapers, magazines, internet, and other sources to find the required information.
To begin with the college term paper on ethnic clashes and evolving sectarianism you should start off with how the term “ethnicity” was developed after the World War II to define various factions created. Once you have defined ethnicity and how members identify with their group, you need to clarify how it instigates ethnic clashes. You need to explain how academically ethnic conflict is divided into three schools of thought: Primordialist, Instrumentalist or Constructivist.
This should then lead onto separate paragraphs giving accounts of each school of thought. You should explain each of their main beliefs, concepts and reasons for ethnic conflicts. You should also be able to identify the prominent political scientists and writers attributed to each school of thought.
For Sectarianism, you should be able to explain and define what constitutes a sect. You need to explain how each sect believes that their means of existence, or the success of their specific objectives, requires its members to actively obtain more converts from other groups. The other way of survival is to eradicate other sectarian groups. You should be able to explain how these hardcore ‘orthodox’ beliefs are coerced in the members which follow it as an ultimate code of life.
You should be able to explain to the reader the difference between political sectarianism and religious sectarianism. It shouldn’t be a problem to find countless examples of ethnic clashes and sectarian violence all over the world. You should also be able to explain how sectarianism is continuously evolving due to the constant funding of political wings to create distress and distaste among different sects. You should talk about how these sects get used and abused by higher political authorities, knowingly or unknowingly, for their own interests and become victim of sectarian violence.
In the end you could provide suggestions to combat these ethnic clashes and evolving sectarianism and give hope for the future that these ethnic groups and religious and political sects can resolve their differences peacefully.