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Ethnofederalism: Subnational Borders and the Salience of Ethnicity in Politics

Author

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  • Bluhm, Richard
  • Hodler, Roland
  • Schaudt, Paul

Abstract

We study how the design of subnational political borders shapes the salience of ethnicity in politics. We introduce a framework for measuring how political borders align with a country's ethnic geography at the micro level. We then leverage quasi-experimental variation in the alignment introduced by Kenya's 2010 constitutional reform, which divided the country's eight provinces into 47 counties. Our results suggest that ethnofederal reforms, i.e., reforms that increase the alignment between political borders and ethnic geography, would reduce ethnic voting in national elections. Finally, we evaluate alternative border designs and derive the design that would minimize ethnic voting.

Suggested Citation

  • Bluhm, Richard & Hodler, Roland & Schaudt, Paul, 2024. "Ethnofederalism: Subnational Borders and the Salience of Ethnicity in Politics," CEPR Discussion Papers 19715, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:19715
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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