Abstract
As anthropologists study complex societies and large databases, we have to ask whether using demographic divisions within a population help or hinder our understanding of people's cognition, particularly political cognition. Using a database of 1,283 interviews gathered in Mongolia in 1998 and 2003, the authors divide the sample population by the demographic categories of location, gender, education level attained, and age. We use network analysis to note differences in network structure and textual analysis to learn how Mongolians characterize democracy as they emerge from Soviet-style socialism. We find that even though Mongolians are a rather homogeneous society, people's concept of democracy varies by demographic category. We conclude that because experience often varies with a person's position in society, demography correlates with people's perception of democracy and therefore remains a valid and helpful way to study the political culture of a population.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 617-646 |
| Number of pages | 30 |
| Journal | Journal of Anthropological Research |
| Volume | 73 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2017 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Bourdieu
- Democracy
- Demography
- Mongolia
- Network analysis
- Political cognition
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Anthropology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
Cite this
}
Demographics and democracy a network analysis of Mongolians' political cognition. / Sabloff, Paula L.W.; Thurner, Stefan; Hanel, Rudolf; Youn, Hyejin.
In: Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol. 73, No. 4, 01.12.2017, p. 617-646.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Demographics and democracy a network analysis of Mongolians' political cognition
AU - Sabloff, Paula L.W.
AU - Thurner, Stefan
AU - Hanel, Rudolf
AU - Youn, Hyejin
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - As anthropologists study complex societies and large databases, we have to ask whether using demographic divisions within a population help or hinder our understanding of people's cognition, particularly political cognition. Using a database of 1,283 interviews gathered in Mongolia in 1998 and 2003, the authors divide the sample population by the demographic categories of location, gender, education level attained, and age. We use network analysis to note differences in network structure and textual analysis to learn how Mongolians characterize democracy as they emerge from Soviet-style socialism. We find that even though Mongolians are a rather homogeneous society, people's concept of democracy varies by demographic category. We conclude that because experience often varies with a person's position in society, demography correlates with people's perception of democracy and therefore remains a valid and helpful way to study the political culture of a population.
AB - As anthropologists study complex societies and large databases, we have to ask whether using demographic divisions within a population help or hinder our understanding of people's cognition, particularly political cognition. Using a database of 1,283 interviews gathered in Mongolia in 1998 and 2003, the authors divide the sample population by the demographic categories of location, gender, education level attained, and age. We use network analysis to note differences in network structure and textual analysis to learn how Mongolians characterize democracy as they emerge from Soviet-style socialism. We find that even though Mongolians are a rather homogeneous society, people's concept of democracy varies by demographic category. We conclude that because experience often varies with a person's position in society, demography correlates with people's perception of democracy and therefore remains a valid and helpful way to study the political culture of a population.
KW - Bourdieu
KW - Democracy
KW - Demography
KW - Mongolia
KW - Network analysis
KW - Political cognition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85035361105&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85035361105&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1086/694431
DO - 10.1086/694431
M3 - Review article
VL - 73
SP - 617
EP - 646
JO - Journal of Anthropological Research
JF - Journal of Anthropological Research
SN - 0091-7710
IS - 4
ER -