Chapter 2 engages the literature on identity group attachments and develops a theory of mobilizational differences between ethnicity and religion at the individual level. It takes readers through the construction and emergence of ethnic and religious identities in the region, dating back centuries, and it demonstrates the unique features and substantive differences that exist between them. Ethnicity is defined in terms of common descent, customary norms, and geographic proximity, thus inspiring attachments to the land and local resources. Religion is defined by voluntary enrollment, formal doctrine, and transnational ties, thereby inspiring commitment to rules and transnational networks rather than local, material resources. The chapter then model the behavior that we should expect to observe from individuals placed in ethnic contexts versus those placed in religious contexts. Finally, the chapter outlines three hypotheses—related to leadership preferences, community preferences, and policy preferences—that follow from the model of mobilizational differences.