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Measuring and Comparing Party Ideology in Nonindustrialized Societies: Taking Party Manifesto Research to Africa

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  • Elischer, Sebastian

Abstract

Despite a growing interest in African political parties, no comparative analyses of political ideology in Africa have been undertaken to date. This study addresses this shortcoming by applying the Manifesto Research Group's (MRG) coding scheme to a complete set of African party manifestos in three African countries. The study's main aim is to determine whether a research tool that has been seminal in the study of Western politics can be used to study political parties in nonindustrialized societies. In a first step the study examines the extent to which African manifestos advance programmatic ideas. Although most parties fail to do so, results indicate drastic differences between parties. The study subsequently investigates how African parties position themselves on a right-left spectrum. Most parties show a bias towards the political Left. Finally, the study examines the stance of individual parties on specific policy issues such as democracy and human rights, education, corruption, youth and women, and intercommunal relations. The study argues that although the MRG scheme has been designed against the historical background of European politics, it can be applied to advance the study of African parties.

Suggested Citation

  • Elischer, Sebastian, 2010. "Measuring and Comparing Party Ideology in Nonindustrialized Societies: Taking Party Manifesto Research to Africa," GIGA Working Papers 139, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:gigawp:139
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sebastian Elischer, 2008. "Do African parties contribute to democracy? Some findings from Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 43(2), pages 175-201.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Basedau, Matthias & Stroh, Alexander, 2008. "Measuring Party Institutionalization in Developing Countries: A New Research Instrument Applied to 28 African Political Parties," GIGA Working Papers 69, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    5. Björn Hettne, 1980. "Soldiers and Politics: The Case of Ghana," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 17(2), pages 173-193, June.
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