Cultural Homogenization, Ethnic Cleansing, and Genocide

Abstract

Cultural homogenization is understood as a state-led policy aimed at cultural standardization and the overlap between state and culture. Homogeneity, however, is an ideological construct, presupposing the existence of a unified, organic community. It does not describe an actual phenomenon. Genocide and ethnic cleansing, meanwhile, can be described as a form of “social engineering” and radical homogenization. Together, these concepts can be seen as part of a continuum when considered as part of the process of state-building, where the goal has often been to forge cohesive, unified communities of citizens under governmental control. Homogenizing attempts can be traced as far back as ancient and medieval times, depending on how historians choose to approach the subject. Ideally, however, the history of systematic cultural homogenization begins at the French Revolution. With the French Revolution, the physical elimination of ideological-cultural opponents was pursued, together with a broader drive to “nationalize” the masses. This mobilizing-homogenizing thrust was widely shared by the usually fractious French revolutionary elites. Homogenization later peaked during the twentieth century, when state nationalism and its attendant politics emerged, resulting in a more coordinated, systematic approach toward cultural standardization. Nowadays, there are numerous methods to achieving homogenization, from interstate wars to forced migration and even to the more subtle shifts in the socio-political climate brought about by neoliberal globalization.

The nation in the region: flamenco andcanzone napoletanaas national icons in modern Spain and Italy (1880–1922)

“…Nation‐states are often predicated upon unrealistic notions of internal homogeneity and congruence (Connor ). Modern history is thus replete with official attempts to impose uniform patterns of culture destined to disregard, ostracise, or even eliminate, cultural variety (Conversi , ). Music has not been immune to these attempts, yet it has not always proved easy to bend it in accordance with the aims of nation‐statism.…”

Peace Education Initiative in Nepal: Redressing the Value of 'Celebrating Diversity'

“…However, the ideology of unity in diversity overlooked the possible risks of violence that cultural homogenisation promoted through the monocultural education could bring about (Sen, 2006). I echo with Conversi (2010), who defines cultural homogenisation as a state-led policy that imposes the dominant culture on the rest of the citizenry, which is a top-down process where the state seeks to nationalise the mass. Homogenisation is to preserve and distribute,through intuitions like schools, the dominant class's cultural capital and maintain social control (Apple, 2004).…”

“…The racial homogeneity may create conditions for inequality for a variety of reasons (Edwards, 2016). Such doctrine of promoting cultural homogenisation, could also lead society towards ethnic cleansing and genocide (Conversi, 2010). Despite the continued implementation of monocultural education Panchayat failed to suppress peoples' increased aspiration to democracy and freedom.…”

Xenophobia, Identity, and Class Conflicts among Venezuelan Migrants: An Ethnographic Study in the City of Ibarra, Ecuador

“…First, narratives that point to the heterogeneity of the migrant group are quite common. In a strategic way, these discourses criticize homogenization practices that may be related to the existence of xenophobia (Conversi, 2009;Archakis, 2018). Migrants try to break with this homogeneous and static vision of identity.…”