Kommentar |
Candidate selection is the choice before the choice and determines the composition of parties in legislative bodies and, thus, of the government and the opposition. Despite its central importance to the functioning of parties, parliaments and governments, comparative research has been neglecting candidate selection until recently. In this seminar we will learn about recent advances in and cover the concepts and theoretical frameworks of candidate selection that help us understand and analyze it. We will cover such dimensions as eligibility criteria, the selectorate body and the degree of centralization in selection. This first part of the course will contain one session dedicated to primary elections. In the second part, we will discuss the political consequences of candidate selection methods, covering such essential democratic qualities as representation and competitiveness. One session is reserved to investigate the role of gender quotas in selection. These later sessions may be complemented by student presentations on candidate selection in selected countries or parties. |