Through a comparative analysis of ethnic relations in two multi-ethnic cities in southern Nigeria, this article seeks to isolate factors that might explain why some countries manage to avoid violence in the midst of longstanding ethnic conflicts while ethnic relations in other countries are...

This introduction provides an overview of the special issue. The papers in this issue contribute to our understanding of the contrasting histories of Ghana and Nigeria. The papers confirm the importance of horizontal inequalities as a source of political instability and violent conflict, and...

While recent scholarship has highlighted the role of horizontal inequalities in provoking political instability and violent group mobilisation, some countries have been able to prevent their ethnic, religious or regional inequalities from escalating into widespread violence at the national...