1. Star Search: Can Celebrity Politicians Help Advance Democratization
Student Researcher: Ashley Caroline Etienne, Political Science· Mentor: Kyeonghi Baek, Ph.D, Political Science
My research question is whether or not the class divide in Haiti, contributes to a
positive and/or negative opinion of Martelly amongst the Haitian people? I will
examine the peoples’ perception of Haiti under the Martelly administration, whether
there has been a rise in socioeconomic development (e.g. housing, and economic
wellbeing) and political development (a decline in corruption) amongst the populous. I
will conduct individual interviews in Haiti with different groups of citizens. These
groups include the upper-middle class(e.g., bureaucrats, bankers, entrepreneurs ) and
the lower class (domestic workers)I I hypothesize that, the class divide in Haiti,
contributes to a positive and/or negative opinion of Martelly amongst the Haitian
people? Those of a lower socioeconomic status are easier to mobilize hence a positive
voter turnout for Martelly.
How has the class divide in the Republic of Haiti contributed to the difference of
opinions on President Michel Martelly amongst the Haitian population? Michel
Martelly is the current President of Haiti, a former pop star turned head of state.
Celebrity politicians, e.g. Michael Martelly of Haiti, Imran Khan, a former
International Cricket player and current member of the Pakistani National
Assembly and Marudhur Gopalamenon Ramachandran (MGR), an Indian actor
transitioned into the Indian National Congress, have been able to bring excitement
to electoral politics, galvanize public support, and advance newly democratized
states by providing poverty alleviation measures (e.g. housing and food
distribution). Unfortunately, many celebrity politicians, e.g., Imran and MGR, do
not seem to help advance democratization or political development significantly
(Jawaid 2012; Muckherjee, 2004). In this research, through interviews on the
socioeconomic and political development of Haiti under Martelly, I find that the
class divide shapes public opinion of Martelly; people with the lower socio-
economic class are more in favor of Martelly, as opposed to the Middle-Upper
Class. Martelly has developed the infrastructure of Haiti and a safer social
environment in a nation that has experienced great political turmoil since its
democratic transition in the 1960s. Martelly ‘s concrete infrastructure and social
services to the poor should be recognized. However, Martelly has been accused of
corruption and delayed a peaceful democratic transition as he tried to install his
wife in power, thus leading to a series of protests and riots in Haiti.
Methodology
Introduction/Background
Abstract
AMIRELL, S. E., Social Sciences, Centrum för Genusvetenskap, Samhällsvetenskap,
Lunds
Universitet, Centre for Gender Studies, & Lund University. (2012). Progressive
nationalism and female rule in post-colonial South and Southeast Asia.
Asian Journal of Women's Studies, 18(2), 35-69.
Burron, N. A. (2013). Michel Martelly: Haiti's new Caesar and the prospects for
democracy. New Political Science, 35(2), 161-181.
Cooper, A. F. (2008). Beyond one image fits all: Bono and the complexity of celebrity
diplomacy. Global Governance, 14(3), 265-272.
Dickey, S. (1993). The politics of adulation: Cinema and the production of politicians
in south India. The Journal of Asian Studies, 52(2), 340-372.
General Social Survey. (2012, June). 2012 GSS Questionnaire. Retrieved from
http://publicdata.norc.org/GSS/DOCUMENTS/OTHR/
Ballot1_AREA_English.pdf
Jawaid, A. (2012). Game changer. World Policy Journal, 29(4), 106-115.
Mukherjee, J. (2004). Celebrity, media and politics: An Indian perspective.
Parliamentary Affairs, 57(1), 80-92.
Repo, J., & Yrjölä, R. (2011). The gender politics of celebrity humanitarianism in
Africa. International Feminist Journal of Politics, 13(1), 44-62.
References
Final Assessment
Results
Acknowledgements
Haiti has been unable to progress properly as a democratic state. Years of instability
and political corruption have left the people unable to trust their government officials.
Martelly has developed the infrastructure of Haiti and a safer social environment in a
nation that has experienced great political turmoil since its democratic transition in the
1960s. Martelly, as a celebrity politician, came into power as a beacon of hope post
earthquake in 2010. Martelly portrayed himself to be a man of the people, who
promised to help Haiti strive as a democratic state as well as economically. Yes, under
the Martelly administration there has been concrete infrastructure as well as a concrete
government. Haiti is now a relatively safer environment.
Within my research voter turnout for Martelly only contributed to 15% of positive voter
turnout, amongst my participants. The outcome within my research can be caused by 2
variables. First, being that my sample size was small. The participants’ that I
interviewed may not have been in favor of Martelly. The second being, I oversampled
the working professionals. Individuals whom I have come to understand were not in
favor of the Martelly administration. However, it is clear that the current stance of the
Haitian population is not in favor of the Martelly administration. During my time in
Haiti, I came in contact first hand with protest against the Martelly administration, as
the tide was turning for a new presidential election.
I would like to thank Dr. Sandra Washington-Copeland, the Director of the Buffalo
State McNair Program for supporting me and believing in my capabilities even when
I doubted myself.
I would like to thank my mentor through this research Dr. Kyeonghi Baek for not
only encouraging me to apply for the McNair program, but the support to see this
research through.
My research question is whether pop icons turned political leaders can help advance
democratization in newly democratizing and developing nations. More specifically,
I ask whether there has been a rise in socioeconomic factors (e.g., housing, and
economic wellbeing of the population) and political development (a decline in
corruption). The literature has separated celebrity politicians into three categories.
They are, dynastic families, celebrity diplomats in humanitarian services, and
celebrity politicians in leadership roles. Dynastic families are those who have
familial ties with their country’s ruling predecessor, and have used that to their own
political advantage. Celebrity diplomats in humanitarian services, use their current
status of fame, to bring economic revenue in terms of foreign aid to developing
countries. Celebrity politicians in leadership roles are those whom have been pop
icons, and have used their platform and popularity to fully involve themselves in
politics. These are the celebrities who have turned into Congressmen, Prime
Ministers, or Presidents.
The second category of celebrity politicians includes celebrities who have made
progress through humanitarian work. The research finds that those celebrities who
fit this criteria, range from Angelina Jolie, Goodwill Ambassador to the United
Nations to Bono, lead singer of the band U2, whose involvement in African private
sectors does not go unrecognized. Angelina and Bono’s involvement in Africa has
been beneficial to the economic wealth of the private sectors they belong to
(Cooper, 2008)
The final category in terms of celebrity politicians is that of pop icons submerged
into politics, by becoming members of Congress, Prime Minister, or President. The
nations of subject in this research are Pakistan, India, and Haiti.
A common trend within all categories of Celebrity Politicians is that their status
helped mobilize the impoverished of a nation. As a household name and figure to a
nation, they can allocate electoral votes into positions of power. The controversy lies
in their policies, whether or not they can advance democracy and develop economic
policies. As a celebrity politician in an underdeveloped nation, his policies will be
under close observation.