Why Ethnic Parties Succeed

Chandra, Kanchan

doi:10.1017/9781108573481

Cited by 950 publications

(213 citation statements)

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“…The first is that the correlation between social group membership and vote choice simply reflects the extent to which individuals in the same social groups have similar policy interests (e.g. Bates 1974;Rabushka and Shepsle 1974;Chandra 2004). The extreme version of this view is that social identity is epiphenomenal, playing no independent role in motivating behavior once individual policy preferences are taken into account.…”

Section: Identity-related Behavior and Electionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Identity, Electoral Institutions and the Number of Candidates

Dickson¹,

Scheve²

2010

Brit. J. Polit. Sci.

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The existing empirical literature in comparative politics holds that social cleavages affect the number of candidates or parties when electoral institutions are "permissive." However, this literature lacks a theoretical account of the strategic candidate entry and exit decisions that ultimately determine electoral coalitions under different institutions in plural societies. This paper incorporates citizen-candidate social identities into game-theoretic models of electoral competition under both plurality and majority-runoff electoral rules. The models predict that social group demographics do affect the equilibrium number of candidates, even in non-permissive systems. Under plurality rules, the relationship between social homogeneity and the effective number of candidates is non-monotonic and, contrary to the prevailing Duvergerian intuition, for some demographic configurations even the effective number of candidates cannot be near two. We present evidence consistent with the main empirical implications of the model using cross-national data on presidential election results and ethnic group demographics.

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Section: Identity-related Behavior and Electionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Identity, Electoral Institutions and the Number of Candidates

Dickson¹,

Scheve²

2010

Brit. J. Polit. Sci.

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“…Consequently, in these works, the correlation between group membership and vote choice is thought to be based on largely materialist concerns, but, at the same time, identity does something and thus is not simply epiphenomenal. Moreover, as Chandra (2004) argues it may be possible to reinterpret Horowitz's theory in completely instrumentalist though not necessarily materialist terms. 6 As indicated above, we take the partition of voters between the two social groups, as well as the social group affiliations of the candidates to be both fixed and commonly known.…”

Section: Notesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, campaign communications may prime voters about particular issues or candidates (e.g. Iyengar and Kinder (1987), Zaller (1992), Mendelberg (2001) Brady and Sniderman (1985); Chandra (2004);Posner (2001);Ferree (2002)). Other scholars have argued that campaigns prime voters about identity politics (e.g.…”

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confidence: 99%

Social Identity, Political Speech, and Electoral Competition

Dickson

Scheve

2006

Journal of Theoretical Politics

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Much research in political science suggests that social identity can be an important factor in motivating behavior. If voters care about social identity, when will politicians find it in their interests to make group-based appeals? Do social identity concerns affect the policy platforms offered by candidates? In a model of political speech and electoral competition, in which voters care about both social identities and policy, we demonstrate that social identity concerns can lead to platform divergence even when the policy dimension is uncorrelated with identity. For example, policy-motivated politicians can employ identity rhetoric to obtain "slack" in the policy dimension. Further, the need for candidates to resort to group-based appeals depends on such factors as the relative sizes of social groups; the policy preferences of group members; whether candidates care about policy and if so, their preferred policies; and the extent of individual identification with groups. The analysis demonstrates that social identity can have a striking impact on the strategic conduct of campaigns.

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“…For example, some agree that the emergence of ethnic parties inevitably leads to a polarization of ethnic relations, and thus to political instability (Horowitz 2000;Lake and Rothchild 1997;Rabushka and Shepsle 1972). Others, in contrast, have argued that the existence of ethnic parties may contribute to the articulation of minority interests and thus prevent ethnic minorities from exiting the political arena and entering into violent conflict instead (Birnir 2007;Chandra 2004;Ishiyama 2009;Lijphart 1977).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Any academic differences lie rather in the approach proposed to offset this mechanism. One side, usually associated with Donald Horowitz's (2000) centripetal approach to conflict management, argues that it is best to provide incentives to decrease the political salience of ethnic boundaries or at least to work together despite the existence of such boundaries (Chandra 2004;Horowitz 2000Horowitz , 2002Reilly 2001). The other side, usually associated with Arend Lijphart's (1977) consociational approach, holds that it is best to ensure the fair inclusion of group representatives in the political decision-making process -if not to…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Researching Ethnic Relations as the Outcome of Political Processes

Flesken

2014

SSRN Journal

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Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in Researching Ethnic Relations as the Outcome of Political Processes AbstractEthnic diversity is often seen to be detrimental to peace and stability, particularly if ethnicity is the basis for political mobilization. Mobilization is assumed to increase the salience of ethnicity, and with it in-group cohesion, out-group animosity, and national instability; yet the mechanisms have rarely been studied empirically. This article argues that we need to study ethnicity as the outcome of political processes, focus on the attitudinal mechanisms underlying ethnic relation; and examine this phenomenon at the individual level.To this end, the article first disaggregates the term "ethnicity" into attributes, meanings, and actions. Referring to constructivism, it then argues that political science should focus on meanings. Building on the theory and findings of social psychology, this paper shows that political science must distinguish analytically between meanings regarding different in-and out-group processes. Doing so can help advance the study of ethnic relations and conflict-management practices.

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Why Ethnic Parties Succeed

Cited by 950 publications

References 0 publications

Social Identity, Electoral Institutions and the Number of Candidates

Social Identity, Electoral Institutions and the Number of Candidates

Social Identity, Political Speech, and Electoral Competition

Researching Ethnic Relations as the Outcome of Political Processes

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