Explaining the Role of Cleavages in the Political Realignment of the Electorate A Literature Overview and Highlighting the Importance of the Contextual Factors

This paper provides a literature overview on the role of cleavages in the transformative dynamics of political realignments of the electorate and for (re)shaping party systems. Drawing from the key theoretical perspectives – the bottom-up approach, the top-down perspective, and the one that emphasizes the importance of mezzo-structures - the analysis includes the dual influence of socio-economic shifts and the strategic mobilization efforts of political actors in shaping political divisions. By integrating historical, institutional, and socio-cultural contexts, the paper highlights the conditions in which cleavages can translate into structured political alignments. The main argument here is that the interaction of diverse factors and the context (historical, social, political-institutional, economic, cultural) where different societies are located is essential to explaining the type of divisions that might emerge and evolve within their electorate. The discussion offers an interdisciplinary synthesis that underlines the importance of contextual factors in understanding the emergence and salience of certain political divisions across diverse democratic settings. Keywords: Political cleavages, electorate realignment, the bottom-up perspective, top-down perspective, mezzo-structures, party systems, socio-political context.