Might the World Cup, which starts this week, reduce ethnic divisions and political violence? Absolutely. To see why, we have to back up a bit.
All over the world, many people closely identify with their religion, their race or their ethnicity — and much less with their country.
That can be a serious problem. When people separate themselves from their fellow citizens, they tend to distrust each other. They become less able to address shared challenges. They regard each other as strangers — and, in extreme cases, as enemies.
Aware of that risk, national leaders often try to strengthen people’s sense of national identity.