Tribe or Nation: Ethnicity’s Grip on African Political Ideology

• In Event: Learning from Global Democratic Challenges and Innovations Mini-Conference III: Democracy in Francophone Africa: Enduring Challenges and Paths Forward

Abstract

Amid the backdrop of recent coups and socio-political upheavals in Africa, this paper investigates the role of ethnic identity in shaping attitudes towards democracy, using Burkina Faso as a case study. I find a clear trend: relative to those who identify with their nationality over their ethnicity, individuals who identify with their ethnic group over their national identity tend to harbour reservations towards democratic governance, while simultaneously showing a preference for military or one-man rule. These findings highlight potential challenges for democratic resilience in the region. As West Africa grapples with political transitions and the Sahelian crisis, this study offers crucial insights into the ethnic dimension of democratic attitudes, carrying implications for policymakers, scholars, and state-building initiatives in fragile contexts.

Author

• Samira Diebire, University of Essex