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The Cleavage Model, Ethnicity and Voter Alignment in Africa: Conceptual and Methodological Problems Revisited

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  • Erdmann, Gero

Abstract

Recent research on political parties and ethnicity has challenged the conventional wisdom about ethnicity as the major factor that explains voter alignment in Africa. The paper maintains that the cleavage model, although modified to include ethnicity, still provides heuristically the best foundation for the explanation of party formation and voting behaviour in Africa. It points out that inconclusive and contradicting research results about the salience of ethnicity can be attributed to a variety of unresolved methodological and conceptual problems linked to the 'fluidity' of the concept of ethnicity. To overcome these problems refined research designs and more sophisticated analytical tools are required. Finally, it is safe to assume that the relevance of ethnicity for the formation of party systems and voter alignment is not a uniform pattern across Africa, but will differ from one country to the other.

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  • Erdmann, Gero, 2007. "The Cleavage Model, Ethnicity and Voter Alignment in Africa: Conceptual and Methodological Problems Revisited," GIGA Working Papers 63, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:gigawp:63
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mozaffar, Shaheen & Scarritt, James R. & Galaich, Glen, 2003. "Electoral Institutions, Ethnopolitical Cleavages, and Party Systems in Africa's Emerging Democracies," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 97(3), pages 379-390, August.
    2. Posner,Daniel N., 2005. "Institutions and Ethnic Politics in Africa," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521541794.
    3. Erdmann, Gero, 2007. "Ethnicity, Voter Alignment and Political Party Affiliation – an African Case: Zambia," GIGA Working Papers 45, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    4. Anthony Downs, 1957. "An Economic Theory of Political Action in a Democracy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 65, pages 135-135.
    5. Hyden, Goran & Leys, Colin, 1972. "Elections and Politics in Single-party Systems: the Case of Kenya and Tanzania," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(4), pages 389-420, October.
    6. Gero Erdmann, 1999. "Parteien in Afrika. Versuch eines Neuanfangs in der Parteienforschung," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 34(3), pages 375-393.
    7. Lemarchand, René, 1972. "Political Clientelism and Ethnicity in Tropical Africa:* Competing Solidarities in Nation-Building," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 66(1), pages 68-90, March.
    8. Barkan, Joel D., 1976. "Comment: Further Reassessment of “Conventional Wisdom:†Political Knowledge and Voting Behavior in Rural Kenya," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 70(2), pages 452-455, June.
    9. Posner, Daniel N., 2004. "The Political Salience of Cultural Difference: Why Chewas and Tumbukas Are Allies in Zambia and Adversaries in Malawi," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 98(4), pages 529-545, November.
    10. Posner,Daniel N., 2005. "Institutions and Ethnic Politics in Africa," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521833981.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ufen, Andreas, 2008. "The Evolution of Cleavages in the Indonesian Party System," GIGA Working Papers 74, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    2. Mehler, Andreas, 2009. "Reshaping Political Space? The Impact of the Armed Insurgency in the Central African Republic on Political Parties and Representation," GIGA Working Papers 116, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    3. Michael Bratton & Mwangi S. Kimenyi, 2008. "Voting in Kenya: Putting Ethnicity in Perspective," Working papers 2008-09, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    4. Isaksson, Ann-Sofie, 2010. "Political participation in Africa: Participatory inequalities and the role of resources," Working Papers in Economics 462, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics, revised 01 Oct 2010.
    5. Ann-Sofie Isaksson, 2011. "Social divisions and institutions: assessing institutional parameter variation," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 147(3), pages 331-357, June.
    6. Marianne Kneuer & Andreas Mehler & Jonas Sell, 2015. "Conference Report: Neopatrimonialism, Democracy, and Party Research: The German and International Debate – In Remembrance of Gero Erdmann (1952–2014)," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 50(2), pages 113-123.
    7. Samuel Adams & Kingsley S. Agomor, 2015. "Democratic politics and voting behaviour in Ghana," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 18(4), pages 365-381, December.
    8. Moroff, Anika, 2010. "Ethnic Party Bans in East Africa from a Comparative Perspective," GIGA Working Papers 129, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    9. Ann-Sofie Isaksson, 2015. "Corruption Along Ethnic Lines: A Study of Individual Corruption Experiences in 17 African Countries," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(1), pages 80-92, January.
    10. Mwangi S. Kimenyi & Roxana Gutierrez Romero, 2008. "Identity, Grievances, and Economic Determinants of Voting in the 2007 Kenyan Elections," Working papers 2008-38, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.

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