Suchergebnisse

Nomination: Changing patterns of electoral volatility by Richard S. Katz, p.83 Nomination: To swing or not to swing by Hans Rattinger, p.86 Reflections: Dynamics of European party systems A catalyst for a discussion by Mogens N. Pedersen, p.93

Most of the variables in survey-based studies of electoral behaviour are measured only at second hand. Although sex or race can be coded from direct observation, and whether an individual voted can often be ascertained from documentary evidence, researchers must usually rely on respondents' accuracy and truthfulness in reporting attitudes and in recalling past behaviour. Both of these may involve significant biases. Research has shown that many events are underreported by survey respondents, although clearly desirable activities like voting may be overreported. Other work has suggested the likelihood that 'non-attitudes' will be reported by many respondents. When these two are compounded, so that respondents are asked to recall previous attitudes or dispositions, the danger of misrepresentation is multiplied.

This volume provides a comprehensive examination of the costs and benefits of intra-party democracy and the issues parties must contend with in setting their own organisational norms.

The contributors to this work provide a survey of the major theoretical approaches to the subject of the role of parties in the pressing contemporary problems of institutional design and democratic governance today.

Party cohesion, party discipline, and parliaments / Shaun Bowler, David M. Farrell, and Richard S. Katz -- How political parties emerged from the primeval slime: party cohesion, party discipline, and the formation of governments / Michael Laver and Kenneth A. Shepsle -- Discipline in the British conservative party: the attitudes of party activists toward the role of their members of parliament / Paul F. Whitely and Patrick Seyd -- Backbenchers with attitude: a seismic study of the conservative party and dissent on Europe / David Baker [and others] -- Cohesion of party groups and interparty conflict in the Swiss parliament: roll call voting in the national council / Prisca Lanfranchi and Ruth Lüthi -- Electoral systems, parliamentary committees, and party discipline: the Norwegian Storting in a comparative perspective / Bjørn Erik Rasch -- Parliamentary party discipline in Spain / Manuel Sánchez de Dios -- The parliamentarization of the east central European parties: party discipline in the Hungarian parliament, 1990-1996 / Attila Ágh -- The challenge of diversity: party cohesion in the European parliament / Tapio Raunio -- Parties and party discipline within the European parliament: a norms-based approach / Shaun Bowler and David M. Farrell -- The costs of coalition: a five-nation comparison / Carol Mershon -- Coalition discipline, enforcement mechanisms, and intraparty politics / Paul Mitchell.

Ranking research doctorate programs in political science, S. 144-148; Katz, Richard S.; Eagles, Munroe: Ranking political science programs : a view from the lower half, S. 149-154; Jackman, Robert W.; Siverson, Randolph M.: Rating the rating: an analysis of the National Research Council's appraisal of political science Ph.D. programs, S. 155-160; Lowry, Robert C.; Silver, Brian D.: A rising tide lifts all boats: political science department reputation and the reputation of the university, S. 161-167