THE EFFECT OF ETHNICITY AND POLITICS ON THE DEMOCRATISATION OF AFRICAN NATIONS

Abstract

The concept of ethnicity and its implications for politics in Africa cannot be taken for granted as it produces different outcomes in different states. It is argued that the concept of ethnicity should be nuanced when considering its role in African democracy and development. From this perspective, the paper examines the theoretical challenge that ethnicity poses to the African state and the challenges it poses for democratisation on the continent. To guide the discourse, critical questions are raised: What kind of connection exists in Africa between politics and ethnicity? Under what conditions may ethnicity either support or undermine democracy? Can citizenship rights be reconciled with ethnicity? This study explores the evolution of ethnicity from the viewpoints of development communication and provides it with a psychosocial meaning. This article posits that, if ethnicity has an informative component, we should anticipate that voters' reliance on ethnic cues will decrease when certain forms of higher-quality information become available.