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University of Essex homepage Departments Government Research Political Behaviour
Research Division

Political Behaviour

A man in a dark winter coat holding a ballot paper as he drops it in the ballot box

We research political behaviour

We are one of the leading departments on the research of the UK's party system and elections. As a result the British election study was located at Essex between 2002 and 2012.

We conduct research on party positions, electoral strategies, political preferences and public opinion, and political behaviour. We also study the mutual influences between parties and voters and the conditions that shape these influences, partisan strategies in proportional electoral systems, the influence of public opinion on the decision to intervene into the Syria conflict, and much more.

We also contribute to three departmental methods working groups: mixed-methods research, data science & quantitative political methodology, and evidence & public policy. The methods working groups encourage collaboration across research divisions based on shared methodological interests and facilitate interdisciplinary research. They promote the representation of the full spectrum of empirical approaches in our political science research and teaching.

To discover which methods working group a division member belongs to, please read their profiles listed below: 

Our engagement

Books

  • Schofield, NJ., Satchell, SE., Chatterji, M. and Whiteley, PF., Advanced Statistical Methods in Economics. Holt, Rinehart and Winston
  • Whiteley, P., Economic Policy: International Library of Comparative Public Policy, Volumes I and II. Edward Elgar
  • Whiteley, PF., Brexit: Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union
  • Allen, N., Bartle, J., Birch, S., Campbell, R., Clarke, HD., Curtice, J., Goodwin, M., Johns, R., Kenny, M., Quinn, T. and Whiteley, P., None past the post: Britain at the polls 2017. Manchester University Press

Journals

  • Whiteley, P. and Kölln, A-K., (2019). How Do Different Sources of Partisanship Influence Government Accountability in Europe?. International Political Science Review. 40 (4), 502-517
  • Whiteley, P., Poletti, M., Webb, P. and Bale, T., (2019). Oh Jeremy Corbyn! Why did Labour Party Membership Soar after the 2015 General Election?. British Journal of Politics and International Relations. 21 (1), 80-98
  • Whiteley, P., Larsen, E., Goodwin, M. and Clarke, H., (2019). Party Activism in the Populist Radical Right: The Case of the UK Independence Party. Party Politics, 135406881988014-135406881988014
  • Quiroz Flores, A. and Whiteley, P., (2018). The 'Beeching Axe' and Electoral Support in Britain. European Review of Economic History. 22 (3), 361-379
Read our latest articles on Essex blogs
Party conference season is here – but decades of polling evidence suggests these events barely move the dial
Professor Paul Whiteley
03 October 2023
Labour set to win Rutherglen and Hamilton West byelection – but only a thumping majority will herald big Scottish gains next year
Professor Robert Johns
02 October 2023
US election 2024: beware polling predictions as they can be wrong – but here’s an approach which has often been on the money
Professor Paul Whiteley
23 August 2023

Head of Research Division

Dr Seonghui Lee

Dr Seonghui Lee

Head of Research Division

Department of Government, University of Essex

Seonghui contributes to the mixed methods research working group.

Our members

Professor John Bartle

Professor John Bartle

Member

Department of Government, University of Essex

John contributes to the data and quantitative research methods working group.
Dr Diane Bolet

Dr Diane Bolet

Member

Department of Government, University of Essex

Diane contributes to the evidence and public policy research methods working group.
Professor Lawrence Ezrow

Professor Lawrence Ezrow

Member

Department of Government, University of Essex

Lawrence contributes to the data and quantitative research methods working group.
Dr Filip Kostelka

Dr Filip Kostelka

Member

Department of Government, University of Essex

Filip contributes to the data and quantitative research methods working group.
Dr Tom Quinn

Dr Tom Quinn

Member

Department of Government, University of Essex

Tom contributes to the evidence and public policy research methods working group.
Dr Laura Sudulich

Dr Laura Sudulich

Member

Department of Government, University of Essex

Laura contributes to the data and quantitative research methods working group.
Dr Roi Zur

Dr Roi Zur

Member

Department of Gosvernment, University of Essex

Roi contributes to the data and quantitative research methods working group.
Research from the Department of Government
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Contact us
Head of Research Division Professor Robert Johns
Department of Government, University of Essex
Departmental Director of Research Professor Han Dorussen
Department of Government, University of Essex
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