“Thugs with Guns”: Disaggregating “Ethnic Violence” in the Russian Federation

How can one understand the phenomenon known as “ethnic violence?” Does subsuming events under the category “ethnic violence” assist our understanding or does it obscure it? Are there lessons that the form ethnic violence takes can teach us? These questions are important not only for anyone intereste...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Nationalities papers 2009-09, Vol.37 (5), p.641-664
Main Author:	Arnold, Richard
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Activism Communication Ethnic groups Ethnicity Federations Gangs Group dynamics Human rights Interethnic conflict Minority & ethnic groups Minority & ethnic violence Minority groups Nationalism Nazi groups Prevention Property Racism Russia Russian Federation Skinheads Social construction Subcultures Typology Violence
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Summary:	How can one understand the phenomenon known as “ethnic violence?” Does subsuming events under the category “ethnic violence” assist our understanding or does it obscure it? Are there lessons that the form ethnic violence takes can teach us? These questions are important not only for anyone interested in the causes and prevention of ethnic violence but also for those who wish to understand group behavior more generally. I explore this question more fully through analysis of the case of the Russian Federation. Russia is a country where in recent times skinhead violence against ethnic minorities has become an important issue. According to Tarasov, Russia contains between 60,000 and 65,000 skinheads active in at least 85 different cities. These skinheads daily commit appalling acts of violence against members of ethnic minorities and human rights activists. Three instances of violence all from the year 2006 help to illustrate some of their activities.
ISSN:	0090-5992 1465-3923