Mobilizing Political Engagement and Participation in Diverse Societies: The Impact of Institutional Arrangements

Abstract: The process of democratization in an increasing number of diverse societies has focused attention on how best to devise electoral systems (as well as other institutions) in order to manage ethnic conflict. Institutional arrangements that allow for power-sharing between groups or arrangements that encourage political actors to appeal to those outside their groups are thought to increase legitimacy and reduce (or channel) conflict. We investigate which electoral and institutional arrangements influence political support and engagement across 33 ethnically diverse countries. Contrary to what we might expect from consociational accounts, we find that single member plurality electoral systems tend to reduce differences between ethnic minorities and non-minorities in terms of political engagement. When access to political power is limited, there is some evidence that differences are exaggerated while special accommodation tend to increase differences in participation but minimize difference in government support. We discuss these findings in light of other research on institutional arrangements and political engagement of ethnic groups