Modernization and (ethnic?) conflict in Fiji

Weber, Eberhard (2008) Modernization and (ethnic?) conflict in Fiji. UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

Between 1987 and 2006 Fiji experienced four coups in which Governments were overthrown by it own military forces or parts of it. Many observers contribute political violence in Fiji to ethnic tensions between indigenous ethnic Fijians and the descendants of people of Indian origin, who immigrated to Fiji mainly between 1880 and 1920.

While ethnicity contributes to political instability in Fiji the existence of additional cleavages based on class, kinship and centre-periphery dichotomy create a rather complex picture. The coups are also about conflicts within the Fijian society. Such conflicts are about loss of political and economic power in the process of modernization experienced by traditional chiefs of tribal confederacies and conflicts caused by marginalization of
indigenous people living in the periphery demanding their share from the development process.

External actors like Australia, New Zealand and the USA add another layer to the conflicts. During the Cold War Pacific Islands were nuclear testing grounds for the USA, France and Great Britain as well as a strategic region for the US-American Pacific Fleet.

Since 9/11 the USA as well as Australia and New Zealand consider political instability in the Pacific Island Region as a breeding ground for international terrorism and thus a
threat to their national security.

Item Type:	Other
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Fiji, political history
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) > School of Geography, Earth Science and Environment
Depositing User:	Eberhard Weber
Date Deposited:	15 Jan 2014 02:22
Last Modified:	15 Jan 2014 02:22
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/7096

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