Associational Life and Attitudes About Democracy in Africa.

The relationship between civil society and democracy is complex, with debate often centering on issues of definition and measurement. The relationship has become the focus of foreign policy with the increase in funding provided to civil society groups in Africa, the goal of which is to strengthen democratic institutions and encourage better government. This article seeks to join the debate by unpacking the catch-all term of 'formal civil society organization.' I will focus on one aspect of civil society: associational life. Based on responses in the Afrobarometer dataset, an individual-level survey spanning 18 African countries, the findings indicate that the relationship between formal associations and democracy is much more nuanced than is often acknowledged by either side of the civil society debate. The type of organization to which an individual belongs may shape their attitude about democracy. The impact of organization type is conditioned by democratic values and attitudes about democratic institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]