Course description:
Elections are the central democratic process through which citizens choose their representatives for public office. This seminar examines elections and voting behavior in the European Union. In addition to exploring the interaction between political parties and voters, we focus on citizens as political actors and the factors that shape voting behavior at both the national and European levels. The seminar will take place online and consists of an introductory session in November followed by two full-day blocks in January.
The first block centers on sociological approaches to explaining voting behavior. Drawing on cleavage theory, we discuss the historical emergence and recent developments of European party systems. We then examine how social cleavages, such as class and education, affect voting behavior in multiparty competition. Finally, we address the influence of changing value orientations on voting behavior in light of the rise of populist parties across Europe.
The second block focuses on social-psychological and rational-choice approaches to explaining voting behavior. We begin by discussing the causes and nature of partisanship, as well as recent trends in affective polarization in Europe. We then analyze the effects of economic crises on voting behavior. Finally, we consider the role of issues and ideological positions in shaping voting decisions, with particular attention to the topic of European integration.
Requirements:
In order to pass the seminar, students are required to read and prepare the required literature, actively participate in the discussions and group work, prepare and present a group presentation, and write a term paper based on the results.
Literature:
Arzheimer, Kai, Jocelyn Evans, and Michael S. Lewis-Beck, eds. 2017. The SAGE Handbook of Electoral Behaviour. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Dalton, Russell J. 2020. Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. 7th ed. Thousand Oaks: CQ Press.
Dalton, Russell J., and Hans‐Dieter Klingemann, eds. 2009. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Fisher, Justin, Edward Fieldhouse, Mark N. Franklin, Rachel Gibson, Marta Cantijoch, and Christopher Wlezien, eds. 2017. The Routledge Handbook of Elections, Voting Behavior and Public Opinion. London: Routledge.
- Lehrende/r: Carsten Wegscheider