Economics
How ethnic fractionalization shapes party competition and voting behavior
Quick fact
In highly ethnically fractionalized countries, political parties often form along ethnic lines, and voters tend to support 'their' ethnic party even when it performs poorly on policy—a phenomenon known as 'ethnic voting'.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever wondered why in some countries people vote for a party because of their ethnicity, while in others they don't? The answer lies in how diverse a society is—and it can turn elections into an ethnic census.