Why it's wrong
Reduces complex political, economic, and resource-based dynamics to identity alone. It can obscure the structural drivers of conflict, including competition over land, governance failures, and access to resources.
What's actually true
Many conflicts described as 'ethnic tensions' are not driven by identity alone. ACLED data shows that conflict events are often linked to competition over land and resources, governance disputes, and local political dynamics. Identity may matter, but it is rarely the whole story.
Don't say · Say instead
Don't say
“The region is experiencing ethnic tensions.”
Say instead
“The region is experiencing tensions linked to land disputes. / The region is experiencing tensions over resource competition and political exclusion.”
Shorthand: Structural tensions (name the actual source)