Civic and Political Behavior in Mali: Constraints and Possibilities

In spite of Mali’s international recognition as a beacon of good governance in the region, decades of free and fair elections and extensive civil liberties failed to engender public support for democracy following the March 2012 coup d’état. Demonstrations against the military junta were half as lar...

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Main Author: Jessica Gottlieb
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centre for Security Governance 2013-06-01
Series:Stability : International Journal of Security and Development
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.stabilityjournal.org/article/view/95
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author Jessica Gottlieb
author_facet Jessica Gottlieb
author_sort Jessica Gottlieb
collection DOAJ
description In spite of Mali’s international recognition as a beacon of good governance in the region, decades of free and fair elections and extensive civil liberties failed to engender public support for democracy following the March 2012 coup d’état. Demonstrations against the military junta were half as large as demonstrations in support of it. What looked to be strong democratic institutions from the outside were often hollow shells that privileged the elite class and marginalized everyone else – not a system ultimately worth fighting for. This essay discusses some of the constraints to democratic accountability in Mali and what can be done to mitigate them.
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spelling doaj.art-a9a67a337942487f8b525c4f5fec59102022-12-22T01:43:15ZengCentre for Security GovernanceStability : International Journal of Security and Development2165-26272013-06-0122Art. 1910.5334/sta.bdCivic and Political Behavior in Mali: Constraints and PossibilitiesJessica GottliebIn spite of Mali’s international recognition as a beacon of good governance in the region, decades of free and fair elections and extensive civil liberties failed to engender public support for democracy following the March 2012 coup d’état. Demonstrations against the military junta were half as large as demonstrations in support of it. What looked to be strong democratic institutions from the outside were often hollow shells that privileged the elite class and marginalized everyone else – not a system ultimately worth fighting for. This essay discusses some of the constraints to democratic accountability in Mali and what can be done to mitigate them.http://www.stabilityjournal.org/article/view/95democracyaccountabilityelectionsinformationcivic participationvoting behaviorpolitical competition
spellingShingle Jessica Gottlieb
Civic and Political Behavior in Mali: Constraints and Possibilities
Stability : International Journal of Security and Development
democracy
accountability
elections
information
civic participation
voting behavior
political competition
title Civic and Political Behavior in Mali: Constraints and Possibilities
title_full Civic and Political Behavior in Mali: Constraints and Possibilities
title_fullStr Civic and Political Behavior in Mali: Constraints and Possibilities
title_full_unstemmed Civic and Political Behavior in Mali: Constraints and Possibilities
title_short Civic and Political Behavior in Mali: Constraints and Possibilities
title_sort civic and political behavior in mali constraints and possibilities
topic democracy
accountability
elections
information
civic participation
voting behavior
political competition
url http://www.stabilityjournal.org/article/view/95
work_keys_str_mv AT jessicagottlieb civicandpoliticalbehaviorinmaliconstraintsandpossibilities