Abstract

This article explores the issue of the management of ethnicity in the Sudan in a manner that would help to accommodate ethnic diversity, accommodate pluralistic identities and end ethnic conflicts in the African contexts. Despite the Sudan’s diverse populations, debates about the country’s social and political relations have been dominated by the seemingly antagonistic visions of “Arabism”, associated with Islam and Arabic descent and culture, and “Africanism”, linked to Christianity, blackness and African culture. It has also been contended that the competing views on “Arabism” and “Africanism” have triggered a national identity crisis, which has resulted in armed conflicts in the country. The article sheds light on the ethnic formation of the Sudan and the role of ethnicity in social relations among diverse groups, in order to examine the possible impacts of the ethnicity management models on social and political stability. The analyzed data are based on interviews conducted in the Sudan. At a time when the Sudanese and the international community are attempting to end the Sudan’s conflicts, this article can offer glimpses into the intersections between ethnicity and conflict, and suggest measures to foster peace and stability.