Doctoral Dissertation Research in Political Science: Social Integration and Solidarity: Evidence from the Holocaust

该项目基于一个关于被占领西欧大屠杀期间犹太人受害情况的独特微观层面数据集，调查少数民族社会融合与团结之间有争议的关系。研究种族竞争理论和威胁假说传统的学者认为，社会融合减少了团结，因为它增加了对稀缺资源的竞争。另一些人则认为，社会上的接近减少了群体之间的竞争，加强了团结，因为它使群体之间能够沟通，增加了相互依存。为了理解社会融合与团结之间的联系，研究人员开发了一个正式模式，该模式以这两种方法为基础，并提供了一个新的视角。该模型表明，群体间整合和团结之间的关系不是单调的，因为大多数学者认为，但曲线。社会融合的初步加强导致团结程度的降低。然而，一旦各群体超越了某一门槛，社会融合程度的提高就转化为更高水平的团结。这表明，基于种族竞争的理论揭示了这条整合-团结曲线的前半部分，后半部分可以根据这些理论的反驳来理解。荷兰的大屠杀为检验这一模式提供了一个独特的、尽管是悲剧性的实验室。在荷兰的一些县，与犹太人的团结程度更高，更多的犹太人能够在外邦人的帮助下生存下来，而不是在其他团结程度较低的地方。调查人员将联合收割机结合最近恢复的档案信息的职业，婚姻伙伴和居住的所有犹太人在被占领的荷兰与纪念书籍和历史普查数据，以汇编一个数据集的犹太受害者和社会融合在市政一级，一个地理单位大致相当于美国县。这使他能够在一个重要的历史背景下，在一个细粒度的层面上检验相互竞争的理论。首先，现有的关于灭绝种族罪和大屠杀的比较研究忽视了大规模屠杀的当地动态，因为它往往将灭绝种族罪视为一种同质现象。这项研究试图解释种族灭绝严重程度的地方差异，并在这样做时着眼于地方动态和相互作用如何塑造大规模杀戮。第二，大部分对大屠杀的系统研究都过于确定，因为有比案例更合理的解释。在次国家层面上研究大屠杀为学者提供了更多的案例，可以用来区分更多和更不可信的解释。第三，也是最重要的一点，这项研究对关于社会融合、团结和冲突的相互竞争的理论进行了独特的评估。这些相互竞争的理论不仅与种族灭绝，种族冲突和内乱的调查有关，而且在研究国家间战争，和平建设，移民融合和整个公民社会的力量方面也发挥了突出的作用。该项目尤其能够系统地测试冲突和团结的微观动态，当它最重要的时候：在事件本身正在展开的时候，这项研究也具有重要的更广泛的影响。跨界交流减少陈规定型观念和产生信任的概念为旨在解决和预防冲突的一系列广泛政策提供了信息，例如以色列的和平学校、西欧的移民和当地人混合居住以及印度的穆斯林-印度教对话。这个项目提供了一个新的实证检验的索赔，这类政策的基础。该项目的理论和测试表明，整合可能不会立即解决问题，但会产生重要且积极的长期影响，从而有助于当代关于冲突解决的争论。

This project investigates the disputed relationship between social integration of ethnic minorities and solidarity based on a unique micro-level dataset on Jewish victimization during the Holocaust in occupied Western Europe. Scholars working in the tradition of ethnic competition theory and the threat hypothesis argue that social integration reduces solidarity because it increases competition over scarce resources. Others claim that social proximity reduces rivalries between groups and enhances solidarity since it enables communication and increases interdependence between groups. To understand the link between social integration and solidarity, the investigator has developed a formal model that builds on both approaches and offers a new perspective. The model demonstrates that the relationship between intergroup integration and solidarity is not monotonic, as most scholars assume, but curvilinear. Initial increases in social integration result in lower levels of solidarity. Once groups move beyond a certain threshold, however, increases in social integration are translated into higher levels of solidarity. This suggests that theories grounded in ethnic competition shed light on the first half of this integration-solidarity curve and that the latter half can be understood in light of counterarguments to those theories. The Holocaust in the Netherlands provides a unique, albeit tragic, laboratory to test this model. In some Dutch counties solidarity with Jews was higher and more Jews were able to survive with the help of Gentiles than in others, where solidarity was lower. The investigator will combine recently recovered archival information on occupations, marriage partners and residencies of all Jews living in occupied Holland with commemoration books and historical census data to compile a dataset on Jewish victimization and social integration at the municipality level, a geographical unit roughly comparable to a U.S. county. This allows him to test contending theories on a fine-grained level and in an important historical context.This study has important intellectual and scholarly implications. First, existing comparative research on genocide in general and on the Holocaust in particular overlooks local dynamics of mass-killing, as it tends to treat genocide as a homogenous phenomenon. This research seeks to explain local differences in the intensity of genocide and in doing so zeros in on how local dynamics and interactions shape mass killing. Second, most systematic studies of the Holocaust are over-determined, in that there are more plausible explanations than cases. Studying the Holocaust on a sub-national level provides scholars with more cases that can be used to delineate between more and less plausible explanations. Third and most important, this study provides a unique assessment of competing theories on social integration, solidarity and conflict. These competing theories are not only relevant for the investigation of genocide, ethnic conflict and civil strife but also play prominent roles in the study of interstate war, peace building, immigrant integration and the strength of civil society as a whole. This project in particular is able to test systematically the micro-dynamics of conflict and solidarity when it matters the most: at the time the events themselves are unfolding.This study also has important broader implications. The notion that cross-boundary communication reduces stereotypes and engenders trust has informed a wide array of policies aimed at conflict resolution and prevention, such as peace schools in Israel, residential mixing of immigrants and natives in Western Europe, and Muslim-Hindu dialogues in India. This project offers a novel empirical examination of the claim that underlies this category of policies. The project's theory and test can contribute to contemporary debates over conflict resolution by suggesting that integration may not solve problems immediately, but has important and positive long-term effects.