ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the effect of proportional representation (PR) electoral rules on ethnic violence. Southeast Asia’s experience with electoral rules provides mixed results for the Consensus school of thought, which argues that PR reduces ethnic conflict. Moreover, the region teaches two important lessons for evaluating the effect of electoral rules on ethnic violence. First, scholars need to consider the context in which institutions operate; both a country’s underlying social structure and auxiliary institutional choices, such as geographic distribution requirements and the number and size of constituencies, matter. Lastly, electoral rule choice often is accompanied by unintended consequences. Constitutional engineers should consider what types of underlying divisions may be ignited by certain electoral rules, lest putting out one fire leads to the kindling of another.
