HomepagePolitics and International RelationsHow do trade unions shape new democracies?

How do trade unions shape new democracies?

Professor Karreth published a study in the journal Democratization on the relationship between trade union membership and political participation in Africa’s emerging democracies.
Professor Karreth published an article in the journal Democratization on the relationship between trade union membership and political participation in Africa’s emerging democracies. Trade unions in Africa have become increasingly vocal in calling attention to the widening socio-economic inequalities that have accompanied global market integration across the continent. But labor movements have also contributed to processes of democratization in Africa by acting as instruments of political socialization for their members.
Using survey data from 18 African countries, Karreth’s study finds that membership in a labor organization increases one’s propensity to participate in a range of political activities. Specifically, it finds labor movements encourage participation by forging “participatory spillover effects”, which mobilize unionists across different arenas of the political landscape. Finally, the study finds that the effect of union membership on political participation is stronger in countries where unions maintain independence from ruling parties. Her research contributes to literature on political participation across Africa and furthers our understanding of the role of labor movements—and civil society more broadly—in the bottom-up processes of democratization on the continent.
The article was picked up by the National Endowment for Democracy’s blog, Democracy Digest
Politics and International Relations Home