International Conflict and Ethnic Interest Group Formation in the United States

As ethnic minority populations increase within the U.S., they will have more influence on the foreign policy agenda of the United States. This thesis investigates whether conflict in a country causes the creation or restructuring of ethnic interest groups within the United States. To test this, cases were selected by using Census data to identify ethnic groups and then isolating conflicts using the Center for International Development and Conflict Management database. The case studies supported my hypothesis that conflicts in an ethnic group’s homeland cause interest groups to form or to alter their purpose. As technology makes it easier for groups to follow overseas news, there will likely be an increase in foreign policy interest groups, each pressing their own agenda