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Civic Education, Political Discussion, and the Social Transmission of Democratic Knowledge and Values in a New Democracy: Kenya 2002

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  • Steven E. Finkel
  • Amy Erica Smith

Abstract

How does civic education affect the development of democratic political culture in new democracies? Using a unique three‐wave panel data set from Kenya spanning the transitional democratic election of 2002, we posit a two‐step process of the social transmission of democratic knowledge, norms, and values. Civic education first affected the knowledge, values, and participatory inclinations of individuals directly exposed to the Kenyan National Civic Education Programme (NCEP). These individuals became opinion leaders, communicating these new orientations to others within their social networks. Individuals who discussed others’ civic education experiences then showed significant growth in democratic knowledge and values, in many instances more than individuals with direct exposure to the program. We find further evidence of a “compensation effect,” such that the impact of civic education and post‐civic education discussion was greater among Kenyans with less education and with lower levels of social integration.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven E. Finkel & Amy Erica Smith, 2011. "Civic Education, Political Discussion, and the Social Transmission of Democratic Knowledge and Values in a New Democracy: Kenya 2002," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(2), pages 417-435, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:55:y:2011:i:2:p:417-435
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5907.2010.00493.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Leiter, Debra & Murr, Andreas & Rascón Ramírez, Ericka & Stegmaier, Mary, 2018. "Social networks and citizen election forecasting: The more friends the better," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 235-248.
    2. Finkel, Steven E., 2013. "The Impact of Adult Civic Education Programmes in Developing Democracies," WIDER Working Paper Series 064, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Juliet Musso & Christopher Weare, 2017. "Social capital and community representation: How multiform networks promote local democracy in Los Angeles," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 54(11), pages 2521-2539, August.
    4. Aleida Cristina Mendes Borges, 2020. "Youth Agency in Civic Education: Contemporary Perspectives from Cabo Verde," Societies, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Grácio, Matilde & Vicente, Pedro C., 2021. "Information, get-out-the-vote messages, and peer influence: Causal effects on political behavior in Mozambique," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    6. Steven E. Finkel, 2013. "The Impact of Adult Civic Education Programmes in Developing Democracies," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2013-064, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Mvukiyehe, Eric & Samii, Cyrus, 2017. "Promoting Democracy in Fragile States: Field Experimental Evidence from Liberia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 254-267.
    8. Christopher Blattman & Alexandra Hartman & Robert Blair, 2012. "Building institutions at the micro-level: Results from a field experiment in property dispute and conflict resolution," HiCN Working Papers 128, Households in Conflict Network.
    9. Datzberger, Simone & Le Mat, Marielle L.J., 2019. "Schools as change agents? Education and individual political agency in Uganda," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 18-28.
    10. J. Andrew Harris & Catherine Kamindo & Peter van der Windt, 2020. "Electoral Administration in Fledgling Democracies:Experimental Evidence from Kenya," Working Papers 20200036, New York University Abu Dhabi, Department of Social Science, revised Jan 2020.
    11. Romain Ferrali & Guy Grossman & Horacio Larreguy, 2023. "Can low-cost, scalable, online interventions increase youth informed political participation in electoral authoritarian contexts?," Post-Print hal-04185976, HAL.
    12. Tobias Heinrich & Matt W. Loftis, 2019. "Democracy Aid and Electoral Accountability," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 63(1), pages 139-166, January.
    13. Carlitz, Ruth D. & Ziaja, Sebastian, 2021. "Dissecting aid fragmentation: Development goals and levels of analysis," IDOS Discussion Papers 17/2021, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    14. Jannes Jacobsen & Lukas Marian Fuchs, 2020. "Can We Compare Conceptions of Democracy in Cross-Linguistic and Cross-National Research? Evidence from a Random Sample of Refugees in Germany," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 151(2), pages 669-690, September.
    15. Debra Leiter & Jack Reilly & Beth Vonnahme, 2021. "The crowding of social distancing: How social context and interpersonal connections affect individual responses to the coronavirus," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(5), pages 2435-2451, September.
    16. Smith, Amy Erica, 2017. "Democratic Talk in Church: Religion and Political Socialization in the Context of Urban Inequality," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 441-451.
    17. Alrababah, Ala & Casalis, Marine & Masterson, Daniel & Hangartner, Dominik & Wehrli, & Weinstein, Jeremy, 2023. "Reducing Attrition in Phone-based Panel Surveys: A Web Application to Facilitate Best Practices and Semi-Automate Survey Workflow," OSF Preprints gyz3h, Center for Open Science.
    18. David William Walker, 2016. "How Systemic Inquiry Releases Citizen Knowledge to Reform Schools: Community Scorecard Case Studies," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 313-334, August.

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