Global Pattern Formation and Ethnic/Cultural Violence

doi:10.1126/science.1142734

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Global Pattern Formation and Ethnic/Cultural Violence

May Lim,¹^,2 Richard Metzler,¹^,3 Yaneer Bar-Yam¹^*

We identify a process of global pattern formation that causesregions to differentiate by culture. Violence arises at boundariesbetween regions that are not sufficiently well defined. We modelcultural differentiation as a separation of groups whose membersprefer similar neighbors, with a characteristic group size atwhich violence occurs. Application of this model to the areaof the former Yugoslavia and to India accurately predicts thelocations of reported conflict. This model also points to imposedmixing or boundary clarification as mechanisms for promotingpeace.

¹ New England Complex Systems Institute, 24 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
² Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA.
³ Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: yaneer{at}necsi.edu

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E-Letters:

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Solutions for Ethnic/Cultural Violence: Syed Taffazull Hussain; Science Online, 12 Mar 2008 [Full text]
Determine Indicators for Conflict Avoidance: Walter Shearer; Science Online, 12 Mar 2008 [Full text]
Response to S. T. Hussain and W. Shearer's E-Letters: Yaneer Bar-Yam; Science Online, 12 Mar 2008 [Full text]