Surveying elites in Africa. Two decades of experience

Since 1990 the Centre for International and Comparative Politics (CICP) at the University of Stellenbosch has conducted eight nationally representative “elite” or opinion-leader surveys in South Africa (in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2007 and 2013). These surveys are in effect a longitudinal study of the attitudes, values and expectations of South Africa’s foremost opinion leaders across several sectors. The elite surveys are also a key part of the CICP’s greater research programme that tracks social, political and economic transformation in South Africa and elsewhere. In addition to the above-mentioned studies of South African leaders, a survey of African elites was also conducted in 2002. The African elite survey was conducted in Algeria, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. This paper will deal with methodological and theoretical points of departure of the sampling procedures for a national elite study and also focus on the implications of the sample design and response rate for the analysis. In particular, attention will be given to the elite project of the CICP and how this evolved from using mail questionnaires to personal interviews. With regards to an overview of the field work, we will focus on the organisation, access, rapport and confidentiality in these surveys. We will also deal with new approaches for “locating” national elites. Lastly, we will deal with putting the research to effective use in emerging democracies.