Can Institutions Build Unity in Multiethnic States?

This articles investigates whether political institutions can promote attachment to the state in multiethnic societies. Building on literature on nationalism, democratization and conflict resolution, the authors discuss the importance of attachment, understood as a psychological identification with, and pride in, the state. Using cross-national survey data from 51 multiethnic states, the authors propose that, in general, ethnic minorities manifest less attachment to the states in which they reside than do majorities. The central finding is that federalism and proportional electoral systems - two highly touted solutions to ethnic divisions - have at best mixed effects. These results have implications for state-building and democratic consolidation in ethnically heterogeneous states.