Ethnic Outbidding and Party Modernization

Understanding the Democratic Unionist Party's Electoral Success in the Post-Agreement Environment

Bibliographic Data

ID8089192
AuthorsCathy Gormley‐heenan (University of Ulster, corresponding author), Roger Mac Ginty (0000-0002-6411-5507, University of York)
Year2008
Volume7
Issue1
Pages43-61
Publication date2008-02-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEthnopolitics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1744-9057 • E-ISSN: 1744-9065
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17449050701846865
OpenAlexW2035247136
LanguageEN
Citations received41
References cited47

This article considers the phenomena of intra-group ethnic outbidding and party political modernization during peacemaking processes in civil war situations. At first glance, ethnic outbidding may seem unconnected with ‘modern’ political parties that function—as their modernity suggests—without recourse to ethnic exclusivity. This article makes the case that the two processes can operate in tandem. It begins by presenting an original conceptualization of outbidding processes by examining both the strategies employed by out-bidders and the potential impacts of outbidding on peacemaking processes. It then turns to consider political party modernization theory, which suggests that parties must abandon the appeals to confessionalism and ethnic particularism (usually displayed among intra-group outbidders) as part of the modernization process. As the example of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in post Agreement Northern Ireland illustrates however, the ability of political parties in peacemaking processes to mix traditional appeals with decidedly modern discourse and campaigning tools undermines this presumed incompatibility between particularlism and modernization within political parties. Instead we find that party modernization and ethnic outbidding can co-exist in the context of a peacemaking process. Moreover, we find that the nuances of outbidding mean that hard-line positions can be maintained on identity and constitutional issues but moderation can occur on other issues

Democracy · Ethnic group · Modernization theory · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Single non-transferable vote · Sociology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Irish and British Studies · Law · Political Systems and Governance · Public Administration

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