Death Penalty and the Right to Life. A Comparative Empirical Study in Tanzania and Nigeria

Abstract

This is a comparative study on the attitudes of the youth in Tanzania and Nigeria. The main concentration in this area is the right of life in cases of crimes against humanity (the death penalty). The data was collected in 2014 and 2015 among selected students in secondary schools, high schools, and universities in Tanzania (N = 1286) and Nigeria (N = 1191). The expectation is that the younger generations in both Tanzania and Nigeria may have some similarities on appreciating a human rights culture and, within this context, that they will show a high support for the right to life. Previous studies indicate that attitudes towards human rights are contextually-biased. Capitalizing on the context of these two countries, our study will take two areas into account which may influence young people’s attitudes towards the right to life. Firstly, the place of religion in moulding individuals’ attitudes in Tanzania and Nigeria as well as the global quest for a human rights culture across Africa. The second is the socio-cultural background of each country and individuals. The assumption is that the perception of the role of religion in society has impact on young people’s attitudes towards human rights and the right to life in particular. Personality is an additional characteristic. While some similarities can be observed in the general attitudinal patterns of the respondents in the two countries, the findings of this study do not show the expected high support for the right to life from them. However, their perception of religion tends to be the main variable.