Abstract
What is state repression? This article explores in detail how state repression is conceptualized by the two most prevalent data sets employed by qualitative scholars: the Political Terror Scale (PTS) and the Cingranelli-Richards (CIRI) data set. The article uses disaggregated data on the characteristics of state’s repressive strategy and compare changes in these subcomponents in years when the overall measure of repression increases or decreases. Following bivariate and multivariate analyses of eighteen West African countries with a history of fluctuating human rights practices, the article finds that both the PTS and CIRI scores are primarily influenced by military involvement in human rights violations. The article highlights the need for more scholarship on the mechanisms behind the finding that democracies are less repressive than other regimes and motivates more studies on how and when repression decreases.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
