PLSC 485a/663a Week VIII. Reading Guide:
Party System Change
From Peter Mair (ed.) The West European Party System Oxford University Press,
Chapter 12
If party systems are not constant- what kinds of "change" could occur in the electoral strength of individual parties? How can one measure which type of change is occuring? What do the authors use as a measure of "change" in party support? What do they conclude about the stability of party systems?
Chapter 13
Nine years later, what does Pedersen conclude about electoral change? How does he measure electoral change? Where has electoral volatility been greatest? When has it been greatest? Is there an overall trend or a bunch of separate national trends?
Chapter 14
How does Mair measure volatility? What is the difference between inter area and between area volatility? What do his results suggest about the causes of electoral volatility?
Chapter 15
Why have the party systems of Europe not become dominated by big catch-all parties?
Chapter 16
How do these authors explain electoral volatility? How does realignment differ from dealignment?
Chapter 17
What new cleavage does Inglehart think is appearing in Western Europe? Where would you fit on that cleavage?