Comparative Perspective on Clientelism and Democratic Representation

The new book “Clientelism and Democratic Representation in Comparative Perspective” by GIGA Research Fellow Dr. Saskia Ruth-Lovell and Maria Spirova is an important contribution to democratisation research. It was recently published by Rowman & Littlefield International. “In line with the GIGA’s global approach this volume brings together researchers from different parts of the world using different theoretical and methodological approaches to shed light on the implications clientelism has for democratic accountability and responsiveness”, says Ruth-Lovell.

The book is available for purchase here.

Abstract of the book:

Since the Third Wave of democratization research on clientelism has experienced a revival. The puzzling persistence of clientelism in new and old democracies inspired researchers to investigate the micro-foundations and causes of this phenomenon. Though the decline of clientelistic practices – such as vote buying and patronage – in democratic contexts has often been predicted, they have proven to be highly adaptive strategies of electoral mobilization and party building.

This volume seeks to contribute to this new line of research and develops a theoretical framework to study the consequences of clientelism for democratic governance. Under governance we understand “all processes of governing, whether undertaken by a government, market, or network, whether over a family, tribe, formal or informal organization, or territory, and whether through laws, norms, power or language.”