Kellogg Faculty Fellow Jaimie Bleck is the lead author of an article in the American Political Science Review titled, "Drinking Tea with the Neighbors: Informal Clubs, General Trust, and Trustworthiness in Mali." Published last month, the paper is co-authored by Jacopo Bonan, Philippe LeMay-Boucher, and Bassirou Sarr.
The study examines the role of informal social clubs, known as grinw, in Mali in fostering general trust and trustworthiness. Through surveys, trust games, and focus groups, the research compares members and non-members of these clubs. The findings indicate that grinw members exhibit higher levels of trustworthiness towards strangers, regardless of linguistic background, but do not consistently demonstrate increased general trust. Qualitative analysis suggests that these clubs promote trustworthiness through bonding among diverse members, bridging across groups, participation in public goods, socialization, and providing psychological support. This research contributes to the understanding of how voluntary associations in the Global South, particularly among young, urban men, can impact social capital and pro-social behavior.
The research is based on research funded by the Kellogg Institute as well as by a USAID-DRG Grant (DFG-11-APS-ND), the American Council of Learned Scholars, and the Scottish Institute for Research in Economics.
Bleck is an associate professor of political science and a concurrent faculty member in the Keough School of Global Affairs. She also is a senior research advisor for the Ford Program in Human Development Studies and Solidarity at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Her research interests include electoral politics, citizenship, governance, and political behavior in Africa with a focus on Mali. She holds a PhD from Cornell University.