Horowitz thinks that the best way to reduce ethnic conflict (elimination being unrealistic) is to allow each group to become economically specialized. Ethnic specialization is good, in his view, and not at all similar to ethnic ranking, which is bad. Of course, some groups will be specialized in high finance and others will be hewers of wood and drawers of water...

This book reviews the major theories and discusses their strengths and weaknesses. He never does come down solidly in favor of one theory, but he clearly considers some very popular theories virtually worthless.

I don't see how anybody who isn't an "ethnic entrepreneur" could read this book and still think that affirmative action, massive immigration and group rights will reduce ethnic conflict. This is a very scary book and difficult, too, but well worth the effort.


A solid scholarly treatise on ethnic conflict   January 31, 1999
 13 out of 15 found this review helpful

This book is a scholarly treatise on ethnic conflict. The author's ideas are thoroughly developed, and supported with numerous examples and references. I finished the book with a far greater understanding of the roots, complexity, dynamics, and interventions for ethnic conflict. Horowitz shows how the ethnic conflict which we may be most directly aware of is an example of a larger phenomenon. The book is not easy to read. It is 684 pages. Many of its 16 chapters have over 100 footnotes. The writing style favors cautious scholarly precision with exhaustive attention to detail, rather than an easy to understand summary of the central ideas.