Donald Trump has made personal grievances and payback the centerpiece of his presidential run. Will this strategy work? Two experts who study democracy look at others who have used these tactics.
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Articles on Kenya elections
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The fluidity of the country’s short-lived coalitions is a major cause of instability in Kenya.
The increase in terror attacks has complicated the Kenyan government’s relationship with the country’s Muslim community.
Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp are reframing democracy and the way citizens engage and organise in the digital space.
The level of education of the political class is not the key to progress.
The transactional nature of politics reduces opportunities for debate and dialogue between elected officials and their constituents.
In principle, political debates should showcase an aspiring leader’s vision. It’s a lofty goal given their current format in Kenya.
The country’s courts have already exhibited a significant level of maturity in rulings touching on the executive.
Every five years, underlying ethnic rivalries are rekindled through songs, words, euphemisms, epithets and slurs.
Odinga is considered a master strategist, sometimes populist and excellent mobiliser.
As an outlier in Kenya’s political power matrix, Ruto was elbowed out by the establishment. But he has somersaulted back by appealing directly to the masses.
Elites have strong incentives to foment violence. The way they speak about election issues in the media can inflame tensions.
Politics is turning into a playground for the country’s elite in the absence of other avenues through which to rise to fame – and fortune.
The country’s political landscape is muddied by sexist language that glorifies the belittling of women in leadership.
Twitter will be part of many Kenyan candidates’ campaign activities ahead of the August 2022 elections.
Constitutional amendments sought to make it easy for Kenyatta and Odinga to craft a broad tribal coalition against the deputy president.
Our findings suggest that it is time to take Kenyan youth seriously as politically important actors.
International observation will not insulate controversial polls – such as Tanzania’s in October – from malpractices, but will make them less likely and allow them to be exposed.
Social media reach is greatest among younger voters, who have integrated online platforms more closely into their personal lives.
By pushing their usually valid complaints onto the streets and the courts, opposition leaders deny governments the popular goodwill and international credibility they need to govern effectively.
Top contributors
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Professor of Democracy, University of Birmingham
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PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Nairobi
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Researcher, African and African Diaspora Studies, National School of Anthropology and History
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Lecturer, School of Journalism, University of Nairobi
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PhD Candidate in Political Economy, SMC University
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Professor of Media Industries, University of Nottingham
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Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford
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Professor of Comparative Politics, University of Warwick
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Associate Professor, Université Saint-Paul / Saint Paul University
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Lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand
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Senior Lecturer in Media Studies, Daystar University
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Professor of History, Durham University
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Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Cambridge
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Lecturer, Information Technology and the Law, Daystar University
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Associate Professor of International Studies, University of Nottingham
