Belonging and Political Participation: Evidence from the 2011 President Election in Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

This study examines the effects of social embeddedness on interest in politics and electoral behaviour using data from a nationally representative survey conducted shortly after the 2011 presidential election in Kyrgyzstan. We find that interest in politics is positively associated with community trust, public sector employment and a sense of national belonging. Controlling for the effects of interest in politics, community trust and public sector employment are also positively associated with voting in this election, whereas evidence on ethno-cultural inclusion is mixed. These findings highlight the role of social embeddedness in political participation in young post-communist democracies.

Notes

1 ‘Kyrgyz Republic’, Election Guide, 2018, available at: http://www.electionguide.org/countries/id/117/, accessed 21 June 2019.

2 ‘Population and Housing Census of the Kyrgyz Republic of 2009’, National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, 2009, available at: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/census/documents/Kyrgyzstan/A5-2PopulationAndHousingCensusOfTheKyrgyzRepublicOf2009.pdf, accessed 15 June 2018.

3 ‘Vybory Prezidenta Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki’, Kyrgyz National Election Commission, 2011, available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20120313112342/http://www.shailoo.gov.kg/Itogi/, accessed 15 June 2018.

4 ‘Vybory Prezidenta Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki’, Kyrgyz National Election Commission, 2011, available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20120313112342/http://www.shailoo.gov.kg/Itogi/, accessed 15 June 2018.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Evgenia Gorina

Evgenia Gorina, Assistant Professor, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas, Dallas, USA.

Victor Agadjanian

Victor Agadjanian, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Email: [email protected]