European University Institute Library

Democracy in translation, understanding politics in an unfamiliar culture, Frederic C. Schaffer

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 147-161) and index

mapsillustrations

index present

non fiction

Democracy in translation

bibliography

37982080

Frederic C. Schaffer

"Frederic C. Schaffer challenges the assumption often made by American scholars that democracy has been achieved in foreign countries when criteria such as free elections are met. Elections, he argues, often have cultural underpinnings that are invisible to outsiders. To examine grass-roots understandings of democratic institutions and political concepts, Schaffer conducted fieldwork in Senegal, a mostly Islamic and agrarian country with a long history of electoral politics. Schaffer discovered that ideas of demokaraasi held by Wolof-speakers often reflect concerns about collective security. Many Senegalese see voting as a matter less of choosing leaders than of reinforcing community ties that may be called upon in times of crisis."--, Provided by Publisher

The Wilder House series in politics, history, and cultureGift collection

understanding politics in an unfamiliar culture