par Van Haute, Emilie
Référence Political Studies Association Annual Conference (7-9 avril 2009: Manchester)
Publication Non publié, 2009-04-08
Communication à un colloque
Résumé : This paper focuses on discontent among party members. Taking Belgium as a case-study, this paper investigates two dimensions of discontent: external political efficacy and specific support. The analysis emphasizes the impact of extra- and intra-party socialization on external efficacy, but also to a lesser extent on specific support. Moreover, the results confirm that discontent is an interesting alternative to the existing explanatory models of intra-party activism. The level of intra-party activism is determined by the members’ perception of external efficacy, whereas the nature of intra-party participation (allegiant vs. challenging) is associated with the level of specific support. The combination of external efficacy and specific support thereby generates different types of participation in the party. More generally, by distancing themselves from civil society, parties might decrease the level of external efficacy of their members, but also their level of specific support, and thereby reinforce apathetic alienation among party members.