Cleavage theory meets civil society

A Framework and Research Agenda

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6405876
AutoresAlex Mierke-Zatwarnicki (0009-0005-9494-3361, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, autor correspondente), Endre Borbáth (0000-0002-2980-8586, WZB Berlin Social Science Center), Swen Hutter (0000-0002-1107-1213, WZB Berlin Social Science Center)
Ano2025
Páginas1-30
Data de publicação2025-08-28
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoWest European Politics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0140-2382 • E-ISSN: 1743-9655
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01402382.2025.2543136
OpenAlexW4413772057
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas63

How does civil society shape the development of cleavages? While intermediary organisations, such as trade unions and churches, featured heavily in historical accounts, neo-cleavage theory tends to ignore the meso-level dynamics of the new ‘transnational’ divide beyond party politics. This agenda-setting article introduces a general framework for studying the relationship between civil society and cleavages, capable of facilitating comparisons across contexts. Specifically, the article identifies two mechanisms through which civil society – in different forms – can shape emerging cleavages: by structuring patterns of group-party linkage on the supply-side and by deepening social closure on the demand-side. The article develops hypotheses about how the changing structure of civil society in Western Europe affects its capacity to perform these functions. Empirical evidence from expert and population surveys, complemented by illustrative case studies, suggests that civil society continues to influence cleavage politics, albeit in more differentiated and volatile ways

Civil society · Cleavage (geology · Law and economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Engineering · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Public Administration