Teaching

Comparative Government: Political Institutions and the Political Process (MA lecture)

This lecture gives an overview of selected theoretical concepts and the main research findings in the field of Comparative Government, specifically focusing on the role of political institutions and their impact on political decision-making at various stages in the political process. The course introduces a number of core themes in the comparative study of political institutions, grouped into three blocks. The first covers electoral institutions and their effects on the behaviour of parties, politicians, and voters. In the second block, we discuss the effects of political institutions on various aspects of legislative behaviour. In the final block, the lecture sheds light on the life cycle of governments and the role institutions play in it. [Syllabus]

Political opposition in modern democracies (Hauptseminar)

“Democracy is an ideology of opposition as much as it is one of government” (Shapiro 1996). This seminar will introduce students to the theoretical and normative importance of the concept of opposition as well as its empirical ubiquity in modern democracy. We will draw on classic literature and delve into the recently flourishing literature on the behaviour of opposition parties, both in parliament and in the electoral arena. [Syllabus]

Advancements in Legislative Studies (Hauptseminar)

This course reviews recent advancements in the study of legislative behavior, its determinants, and consequences. After a short introduction, we read and discuss prime examples of research investigating various parliamentary activities, legislators’ careers, electoral effects of parliamentary activities, et cetera. Students are acquainted with studies utilizing methods including text-as-data, survey analysis, natural experiments, and experimental designs. [Syllabus]

Politicians at work: Between parliaments and elections (Proseminar)

This course reviews the various activities in which legislators partake, both in parliament and outside of it, and the electoral incentives that shape their behaviour. Students are familiarized with institutional and party-specific factors influencing legislators, such as candidate selection methods, parliamentary organization, the electoral system, et cetera. We also discuss several consequences of legislators’ behaviour, such as the budget size, public satisfaction, and electoral outcomes. [Syllabus]