Border Market-Mediated Interethnic Contactivity and De-ethnization/Re-ethnization Spectrum: A Cross-Sectional Study in Kenya

abstract: The association between intergroup contact and tolerance among different ethnic groups has been theoretically proved and demonstrated in several geographical settings and communities. However, it remains unknown how interethnic border markets (IBMs) contribute to this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the "intermediatory" role of the IBMs in de-ethnization and re-ethnization processes. We use ordered logit (OL) regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to establish the conflict prevalence in Chwele and Kiboswa markets. A cross-sectional study of the markets found the overall conflict prevalence to be 15.90 percent. The t-value of 2.804 and the low p -value of 0.006 demonstrate a highly significant difference at the p < 0.01 level, where the conflict prevalence is slightly higher in Chwele (2.449) than Kiboswa (2.620). Although there is very little evidence implicating IBMs as structures reinforcing conflict, the study partially supports the "intergroup contact" proposition and portrays IBMs as a reliable predictor of ethnization.