This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Karp, J. A. Articles by Banducci, S. A. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Party Mobilization and Political Participation in New and Old Democracies

University of Exeter, j.karp{at}exeter.ac.uk

Susan A. Banducci

Centre for European Studies, University of Exeter, s.a.banducci{at}exeter.ac.uk

Political parties play a pivotal role by mobilizing citizens to participate in the political process. This may be particularly important in new democracies, where party attachments are weak and voter turnout is low. Using data drawn from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES), we examine citizens’ reported contact with political parties during a national campaign across a range of democracies. We find that rates of reported contact are lower in new democracies and that on average citizens appear to be less engaged in the political process. Nevertheless, parties in new democracies appear to be more likely to target citizens than in old democracies. Their efforts lead them to be just as successful at stimulating political participation.

Key Words: CSES • party mobilization • political development

Party Politics, Vol. 13, No. 2, 217-234 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1354068807073874


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?