This is an empirical contribution to the study of the implications of political engagement for the social and political lives of informal workers in the Global South, by exploring the world of the... Show moreThis is an empirical contribution to the study of the implications of political engagement for the social and political lives of informal workers in the Global South, by exploring the world of the taxi-moto drivers (zemidjan) in Benin. The ethnographic research methodology mobilized a variety of sources for comparing the associational and political dynamics of the zemidjan in several towns (Cotonou, Parakou, Natitingou, and Kandi).The central preoccupation of this research has been to explain the perception among the zemidjan that their working and living conditions have not improved, despite their strategic use of the political sphere by way of the leaders of their diverse organisations. The main results show that despite their efforts to access certain platforms, the influencing capacity of the leaders in public decision making bodies is limited. This does not preclude that collective initiatives of the zemidjan have brought significant improvements to the corporation over time.It was highlighted that beyond those convincing gains facilitated by zemidjan engagement in the political arena, their insatisfaction is rather linked to the non-realisation of profound aspirations for a professional reconversion in order to improve their social status due to the negative connotation which makes zemidjan a "profession by default". Show less
Dellmuth, L.; Scholte, J.A.; Tallberg, J.; Verhaegen, S. 2021
Scholars and policy makers debate whether elites and citizens hold different views of the legitimacy of international organizations (IOs). Until now, sparse data has limited our ability to... Show moreScholars and policy makers debate whether elites and citizens hold different views of the legitimacy of international organizations (IOs). Until now, sparse data has limited our ability to establish such gaps and to formulate theories for explaining them. This article offers the first systematic comparative analysis of elite and citizen perceptions of the legitimacy of IOs. It examines legitimacy beliefs toward six key IOs, drawing on uniquely coordinated survey evidence from Brazil, Germany, the Philippines, Russia, and the United States. We find a notable elite–citizen gap for all six IOs, four of the five countries, and all of six different elite types. Developing an individual-level approach to legitimacy beliefs, we argue that this gap is driven by systematic differences between elites and citizens in characteristics that matter for attitudes toward IOs. Our findings suggest that deep-seated differences between elites and general publics may present major challenges for democratic and effective international cooperation. Show less
Western donor countries consider a proper functioning multiparty democracy as one of the most import conditions for achieving more legitimate governance and subsequently economic development and... Show moreWestern donor countries consider a proper functioning multiparty democracy as one of the most import conditions for achieving more legitimate governance and subsequently economic development and reduction of poverty in their partner countries. Support to free and fair elections is an integral part of the ‘good governance’ agenda of the traditional donor community. On the basis of the findings of this study, it appears however that it is not so much the acceptance of Western type political institutions or compliance with generally endorsed liberal-democratic standards that determine the possibilities for developing countries to achieve economic transformation and substantial poverty reduction, but rather the nature of the political settlement among the political elites. Show less
