| Kommentar |
2017 is an extraordinary year with regard to elections in Europe. We have already seen elections in the Netherlands, France, and the UK and there are more elections to come, most importantly in Germany. The outcome of elections is a fundamental determinant for the course of the country in the following years. Hence, analyzing when and why citizens vote and which party they vote for is highly important. In this seminar, the students will analyze election outcomes and voting behavior in a comparative perspective. We will analyze voting behavior on the micro and on the macro level and try to answer, amongst others, the following questions: How do individual characteristics like age, gender, and education influence voting behavior? What are the consequences of different institutional arrangements (e.g. voting systems, electoral thresholds)? Why do citizens decide to vote strategically? Wherever applicable, we will also discuss the results of the most recent elections. |
