The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time? Territorial Autonomy and Conflict During Regime Transitions

Andreas Juon, Daniel Bochsler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract (may include machine translation)

This article evaluates how territorial autonomy affects ethnic mobilization and conflict during regime transitions. Previous research has highlighted its conflict-inducing role during prominent transition contexts. Alternatively, it has shown its pacifying role in the “average” case, without distinguishing transition periods from stable contexts. Addressing these gaps, we argue that the de-escalatory consequences of autonomy depend on critical stabilizing factors which are themselves “muted” during transitions. We test our expectations in a cross-national analysis, covering all regime transitions between 1946 and 2017. We also revisit the 1989 transition from Communism, focusing on the role of “inherited” autonomy in the post-communist successor states. This enables us to address concerns whereby autonomy is offered to ward off transitions or whereby transitions are themselves induced by mobilization. Our findings indicate that during transitions, territorial autonomy increases the likelihood of ethnic mobilization, government concessions in response, and violent escalation where these are not forthcoming.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1996-2029
Number of pages34
JournalComparative Political Studies
Volume56
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Apr 2023

Keywords

  • civil war
  • democratization and regime change
  • ethnic conflict
  • ethnicity and politics
  • federalism
  • race

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