Ethnicity and Electoral Politics - Hardcover

Birnir, Jóhanna Kristín

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521861357 ISBN 13: 9780521861359

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2006

Synopsis

This book asks what distinguishes peaceful plural democracies from violent ones and what distinguishes violent ethnic groups from peaceful ones within the same democracy. Contrary to conventional wisdom, it suggests that ethnic groups and their political demands are not inherently intransigent and that violence is not a necessary corollary of ethnic politics. The book posits that ethnic identity serves as a stable but flexible information shortcut for political choices, influencing party formation and development in new and maturing democracies. It furthermore argues that political intransigence and violence expressed by some ethnic groups stem from circumstances exogenous to ethnic affiliations. In particular, absolute restrictions on ethnic access to the executive produce conditions under which ethnic group incentive to participate in peaceful electoral politics is eliminated. A number of case studies and statistical analysis of all electoral democracies since 1945 are used to test and support the formal argument.

About this title

Book Description:

This book is about the effect of diversity on the development of democracy. It posits that diversity helps stabilize democracies early on. In the long term, diversity is destabilizing only if ethnic groups are excluded from access to policy rewards. Birnir examines the merits of the argument using formal analysis, case histories, and statistical analysis.

About the Author:

Jóhanna Kristín Birnir is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0521861357
• ISBN 13: 9780521861359
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 296