Publication

This paper presents experimental results that help to explain why ethnicity appears to have little political salience in Mali. Despite an ethnically heterogeneous population, ethnic identity is a poor predictor of vote choice in Mali and parties do not form along ethnic lines. The authors argue that the cross-cutting ties afforded by an informal institution called 'cousinage' helps explain this phenomenon. Both co-ethnic and cousinage alliances enhance the credibility of politicians' policy promises, yet neither dimension of identity becomes dominant as a basis for vote choice due to their cross-cutting nature.