資深政治學者艾斯門（Milton J. Esman）於歷年來發表若干篇關於族群政治的論文 後，於一九九四年出版族群政治（Ethnic Politics）。他在書中提出一個研究族群政治的基本 概念架構。艾斯門首先界定「族群歸屬」、「族群社群」、「族群認同」、「族群團結」、「族群政 治運動」、「族群民族」及「民族主義」等基本概念。繼而他又提出「族群動員」和「衝突管 理」兩個相關的過程。艾斯門所提出的基本概念架構，應可視為族群政治研究的一個里程碑 ，其後的發展是這個基本概念架構的細緻化。艾斯門以政治學的觀點提出對族群衝突原因的 解釋。他介紹了若干分析假說，也提出一些規劃衝突管理策略的實際原則。艾斯門注重事實 的主、客觀條件和概念間的邏輯關係，是一位在論述中不忘邏輯與科學力法的嚴謹學者。他 對族群政治研究範圍的貢獻，可望增進這個研究範圍的科學性與體系性。 。

　　　　　Following several treatises over the years on ethnic politics, senior political scientist Milton J. Esman published Ethnic Politics in 1994. He presented in the book a basic conceptual framework for the study of ethnic politics. Esman first defined such basic concepts as ethnicity, ethnic communities, ethnic identification, ethnic solidarity, ethnic political movements, ethnic nations, and nationalism. He then put forward two related processes of ethnic mobilization and conflict management. The basic conceptual framework presented by Esman can be regarded as a milestone in the study of ethnic politics, and subsequent developments being refinements of this basic conceptual framework. Esman gave explanations to the causes of ethnic conflicts from a political science vantage point. He introduced several analytical hypotheses, and also some practical principles for formulating strategies of ethnic conflict management. Esman pays attention to the logical relationship between subjective and objective conditions and analytical concepts, and is therefore a rigorous scholar who actively employs logic and scientific methods in his writing. His contribution to the study of ethnic politics will likely enhance the scientific, systemization of this field of study.