Interethnic Cooperation and Political Stability in Plateau State: A Social Capital Analysis

This study analyses the relationship between interethnic social capital and political stability in Plateau State, investigating whether communities with stronger cross-ethnic trust networks, civic associations, and cooperation norms are more resilient to political violence and inter-communal conflict. Plateau State has experienced recurrent and devastating inter-communal violence along ethnic and religious fault lines over the past three decades, yet there are also communities within the state that have maintained relative peace despite comparable demographic diversity, creating a natural comparative case study opportunity. Using a mixed-methods design, the study combines social capital survey instruments administered to 520 respondents in eight communities across Plateau State with qualitative case studies of peaceful and conflict-affected communities drawn from the same geographical area. The Putnam social capital theory and the ethnic conflict prevention literature are applied to analyse how bridging and bonding social capital differently affect political stability outcomes. Findings reveal that communities with higher levels of bridging social capital, measured through participation in cross-ethnic civic associations, intermarriage rates, and shared economic activity, demonstrate significantly lower rates of political violence episodes even during periods of heightened state-level tension. Institutional mechanisms including traditional youth leadership forums and inter-faith peacebuilding committees are identified as important generators of bridging social capital. The North Central geopolitical zone context, with its particular patterns of ethnoreligious cleavage, shapes the interpretation of findings. Recommendations include state-supported cross-ethnic civic association funding, inter-community economic development initiatives, and formalised early warning community networks based on existing social capital assets. Keywords: interethnic cooperation, social capital, political stability, Plateau State, conflict prevention