Document Type
Dissertation - Open Access
Award Date
2025
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department / School
Sociology and Rural Studies
First Advisor
Abdallah Badahdah
Abstract
This research has investigated the use of positive deviance or exemplary behavior as an innovative approach to addressing political corruption, specifically the vote-buying practice in Uganda. To understand the techniques of positive deviance in vote-buying, this study was guided by the main research question: How is non-conformity to vote-buying practiced, and what are its outcomes? Individual and focus group interviews were utilized to collect qualitative data from 40 respondents (voters and political leaders) who deter the vote-buying practice in Rukungiri District, Western Uganda. With the help of community gatekeepers, the study followed the inclusion criteria to identify voters and political leaders who deter vote-buying in the district of study. Findings reveal that voters and political leaders use one important strategy or technique to deter the vote-buying practice: Reminding oneself of the disastrous consequences of that practice. Further, findings show that four thematic strategies apply only to voters: a) Explicit and implicit rejection, b) rational untruthfulness, c) being critical, and d) being decisive when dealing with vote buyers. Two key techniques apply only to political leaders, including: 1) Focused diligence, and 2) outmaneuvering the vote-buying practice. By using the above-mentioned strategies, the political leaders registered many positive and a few negative outcomes of their positive deviance in vote-buying. The positive ones were thematized as “maintaining a positive self-image”, and the negative ones were thematized as “political frustration and fatigue”. Similarly, because of the use of deterrence strategies to resist the vote-buying practice, voters registered many positive and a few negative outcomes. The positive ones were thematized as “a sense of accomplishment and pride”, and the negative ones were thematized as “strained relations and death risks”. Based on the findings, the study presented a sociological model for positive deviance in vote-buying and finally concluded that, compared to other approaches that help in deterring the vote-buying practice, such as the use of law enforcement and experts from outside the community, the positive deviance approach is cheaper and sustainable as it utilizes the strength and exemplary behavior from the affected local community.
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Kwarisima, Collins, "Learning Positive Deviance Techniques: How Non-Conformity to Vote-Buying is Practiced and its Outcomes, the Ugandan Context" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1512.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/1512
Rights Statement
