Project Overview
This project explores whether representatives from minority groups in South Africa feel pressure to represent the group they are associated with. The broader project used a representative survey experiment among the general population (N = 1,252), combined with semi-structured interviews with elected representatives (N = 25). In the survey, there were clear expectations among the population that groups should be represented by a member of “their” group. However, in the survey experiment which captures a behavioral response, members of the general population did not trust representatives of “their” group more.
In the interviews, the representatives confirmed that they are aware of the expectations of the population, and to some extent feel under pressure to represent the group they are associated with and its interests. They often expressed a reluctance to represent groups, however, because they wanted to focus on substantive issues. From this perspective, there was a tension between representing groups and norms against clientelism which the representatives held.
Data and Data Collection Overview
This deposit consists of the twenty-five semi-structured interviews conducted with the regional elected representatives from one of South Africa’s provinces to gain insights into political representation with a focus on two identity dimensions: gender and race. We examine the situation in South Africa because in this context, official classification of “population groups” is particularly salient, which allows us to observe relevant phenomena along two dimensions in a context where we do not expect politicians to play down these identities for political or other reasons. Regional representatives were chosen because of accessibility and the assumption that they might have a stronger connection to their constituencies than national-level politicians. They represented both urban and rural constituencies. All major population groups and parties are covered in these interviews to capture varied experiences, although the sample includes a higher share of Whites than in South African parliaments (both at the national and regional level).
The interviews covered a variety of topics, including: the role of political representatives, political careers, qualities of a good representative, multiple identities, voter contact, and political interests. The structure of the questionnaire was designed to avoid talking about “pressures” before the representatives described them unprompted.
The transcripts have been modified to conceal direct and indirect identifiers. The respondents agreed to make the data available for academic research. All names have been replaced by pseudonyms, and identifying information were replaced with a more generic term (e.g. [province] rather than the name of the province, the type of organization rather than the organization). Necessary redactions also included leaving out identifying information, and in some cases adding information that is in character but a decoy. This way the interviewers sought to ensure plausible deniability for the participants should they wish to use it. The provinces interviewees came from and the exact year when the interviews were conducted is not revealed, in accordance with the commitments made to participants.
Internal notation in the interview transcripts follows this pattern: I for Interviewer and R for Representative (Respondent).
Selection and Organization of Shared Data
The data files shared here encompass the 25 de-identified interview transcripts labeled with pseudonyms.
The documentation files shared consist of the original informed consent used, the interview questionnaire, characteristics of the representatives interviewed, an ethics checklist used for the project (see more in Notes too), this Data Narrative and an administrative README file.
Information about the survey portion of the broader project is shared at: Ruedin, Didier, Brian Murahwa, and Leonie Mugglin. 2025. “Pressure to Represent.” OSF. https://osf.io/smzxg/ |
