| Summary/Abstract |
This article – by looking at selected cases of the ethnic Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Mongols in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), officially a unitary multinational state – proves that domestic ethnic conflicts have the potential to internationalize and become significant interstate crises. While internationalization factors may at times be difficult to differentiate, I highlight four main mechanisms: 1) third-party intervention, 2) irredentism/separatism, 3) refugee movements across borders, and 4) international ethno-terrorism. Media coverage of ethnic conflict may also initiate a call for justice from the international community. The PRC remains a special case, with the Chinese Communist Party’s continued control over ethnic policy and interactions. This research article also reinforces the idea that ethnic conflict can be integrated into both comparative politics and international relations, as such domestic conflicts often involve and affect actors that transcend state boundaries.
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