The main objective of the course is to present to students theoretical, methodological and empirical approaches in the field of electoral sociology. In all lectures emphasis is given to theoretical and methodological issues of empirical electoral analysis.

The course begins with a historical overview in the study of electoral behaviour by analyzing the contribution of the electoral geography school. After focusing on the main theoretical models for the analysis and interpretation of electoral behaviour, namely the micro-sociological approach of the Columbia school, the macro-sociological model of Lipset and Rokkan, the socio-psychological model of the school of Michigan and finally, the theory of rational choice, we analyze a series of topics which are included in the field of electoral sociology. More specifically, we are studying abstention, the factors which affect voting behaviour (party identification, cleavages, the impact of sociodemographic variables on individual voting choices), issue and economic voting, electoral volatility and the axes of political competition. Moreover, another series of lectures focuses on the political context of the elections and how it shapes voting behaviour (e.g the different types of elections, the role of the electoral campaign and media, the personalization of politics and leadership). Another lecture is focused on the theory of referendums, as a form of direct democracy by emphasizing on aspects of electoral behaviour manifested in these polls (we focus mainly on the Greek referendum of 2015 and the British one of 2016). Finally, we will also deal with the political consequences of the economic crisis both in terms of electoral behavior (focusing on electoral volatility), and more broadly in terms of the signs of a representation crisis and extremism.

Students will also acquire more practical research experience by using relevant data mostly from national electoral surveys. Among others, the following national surveys will be used: Hellenic National Election Study 2012 and 2015, Hellenic Panel Survey 2014, and the Greek database of the European project The True European Voter (which includes among others some surveys of the National Centre of Social Research).

The successful completion of the course will offer to students a valuable and in-depth knowledge of the field. The participants will be able to critically assess the theoretical models of electoral behaviour and they will have the possibility to apply the models in case studies and in a comparative perspective.
Students will acquire essential analytical and research skills for the examination of electoral and political phenomena. They will obtain the appropriate theoretical background as well as familiarity with the logic and tools of theory building in Political Science, by operationalizing key concepts and testing hypotheses about causal relations in electoral behavior.
By studying a variety of scientific articles provided in the syllabus of the course, they will develop the initial necessary skills to critically read and understand the scholarly literature on the topic of electoral behaviour, but also critically analyze contemporary developments and their representations in the mass media.

The continuous direction throughout the course will help them to complete original scientific work.
By participating also at the applied research section of the course, they will be able to design, develop and explain a theme in the research field of electoral sociology, using the theoretical and research background obtained by the participation in the course.

30% attendance and participation in the class 20% presentation of a theme in the class 50% essay The erasmus students should contact the instructor

Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)

1.    Downs, Α. (1997) Οικονομική Θεωρία της Δημοκρατίας, Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Παπαζήση
2.    Mayer, Ν. , Perrineau, P. , Boy, D.  & Cautres , B. (2005) Εκλογική Συμπεριφορά: Ιστορικές Διαδρομές και Μοντέλα Ανάλυσης, Αθήνα: Σαββάλας
3.    Nικολακόπουλος, Ηλ. (2001) H Kαχεκτική Δημοκρατία. Kόμματα και εκλογές 1946-1967, Aθήνα: Πατάκη (επιλεγμένα κεφάλαια)
4.    Wildenmann, R. (1998) Η Εκλογική Έρευνα: Συμπεριφορά του Εκλογικού Σώματος και Ανάλυση Εκλογών, [Πρόλογος, Μετάφραση, Σχόλια Βασιλική Γεωργιάδου], Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Παπαζήσης
5.    Βούλγαρης, Γ.  & Νικολακόπουλος, Ηλ. (επιμ.) (2014) 2012: Ο διπλός εκλογικός σεισμός. Αθήνα: Θεμέλιο.
6.    Μοσχονάς, Γ. (1994) «Η Διαιρετική Τομή Δεξιάς-Αντιδεξιάς στη Μεταπολίτευση (1974-1990). Το Περιεχόμενο της Τομής και Όψεις της Στρατηγικής των Κομμάτων του Αντιδεξιού Υποσυστήματος», στο  Δεμερτζής, Ν. (επιμ.) Η Ελληνική Πολιτική Κουλτούρα Σήμερα. Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Οδυσσέας.
7.    Νικολακόπουλος, Ηλ. (1990) «Η Εκλογική Επιρροή των Πολιτικών Δυνάμεων», στο Νικολακόπουλος, Ηλ. & Λυριντζής, Χ. Εκλογές και Κόμματα στη Δεκαετία του ’80. Αθήνα: Θεμέλιο.
8.    Τεπέρογλου, Ε. (2016) Οι άλλες «εθνικές» εκλογές. Αναλύοντας τις Ευρωεκλογές στην Ελλάδα 1981-2014, Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Παπαζήση.
9.    Τσατσάνης, Μ. (2009) «Παλαιές και νέες διαιρετικές τομές», στο Κωνσταντινίδης, Γ. & Μαραντζίδης, Ν. & Παππάς, Τ. (επιμ) Κόμματα και πολιτική στην Ελλάδα. Οι σύγχρονες εξελίξεις. Αθήνα: Κριτική.

Additional bibliography for study

1. Anderson, C. J. (2000) “Economic voting and political context: A comparative perspective”, Electoral Studies, τχ.19 (2-3), σελ. 151-170.
2. Bartels, L. M. (2010) “The Study of Electoral Behavior” στο J. E. Leighley (επιμ) The Oxford Handbook of American Elections and Political Behavior. Διαθέσιμο και στον ιστότοπο https://www.princeton.edu/~bartels/electoralbehavior.pdf
3. Blais, A. (2000) To Vote or not to Vote. The Merits and Limits of Rational Choice Theory, Pittsburg: Pittsburg University Press (επιλεγμένα κεφάλαια)
4. Campbell, A. (1960) ‘Surge and decline: a study of electoral change’, Public Opinion Quarterly, τχ. 24, σελ.397-418.
5. Campbell, Α. , Converse, P. E. , Miller, W. E., Stokes D. E. (1960) The  American Voter,  New York: John Wiley & Sons.
6. Carmines, E. & Stimson, J. Α. (1980) “The Two Faces of Issue Voting” , American Political Science Review, τχ. 74, σελ. 78–91.
7. Dalton, R. J. (2000) “The Decline of Party Identifications” στο Dalton, R. J και Wattenberg, M. (επιμ) Parties Without Partisans: Political Change in Advanced Industrial Democracies, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
8. Dalton, R. & Klingemann, H-D.  (2007) The Oxford Handbook of Political Behaviour, Oxford: Oxford University Press (επιλεγμένα κεφάλαια)
9. Farrell, D. M. & Schmitt-Beck, R. (2002) Do Political Campaigns Matter? Campaign Effects in Elections and Referendums, London and New York: Routledge (επιλεγμένα κεφάλαια)
10. Franklin, M. & Eijk, C. van der (2009) Elections and Voters, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.(επιλεγμένα κεφάλαια).
11. Franklin, M. (2001) “Electoral Participation” στο Niemi, R. & Weisberg, H. (επιμ) Controversies in Voting Behavior, 4η έκδοση,  Washington: CQ Press.
12. Kriesi, H. (1998). ‘The Transformation of Cleavage Politics. The 1997 Stein Rokkan lecture’, European Journal of Political Research, τχ. 33, σελ. 165-185.
13. Kriesi, H., Grande, E., Lachat, R.,  Dolezal, M.  Bornschier, S. & Frey, T. (2008) West European Politics in the Age of Globalization, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
14. Lewis-Beck, Μ. & Stegmaier, M. (2000) ‘Economic determinants of electoral outcomes’, Annual Review of Political Science, τχ. 3, σελ. 183–219.
15. Lipset, S.M. & Rokkan, S. (1990) “Cleavage Structures, Party Systems, and Voter Alignments”, στο Mair, P. (επιμ.) The West European Party System. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
16. Mair, P. (2007) “Left-Right Orientations”, στο Dalton, R, J. και Klingemann, H.-D. The Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior, Oxford: Oxford University Press, σελ. 206-222.
17. McDonald, P. (2003) “Useful Fiction or Miracle Maker: The Competing Epistemological Foundations of Rational Choice Theory”, The American Political Science Review, τχ. 97:4, σελ. 551-565.
18. Reif, K.  &  Schmitt, H. (1980) ‘Nine second-order national elections; a conceptual framework for the analyses of European election results’, European Journal of Political Research, τχ.8(3), σελ. 3–44.
19. Schmitt, H. & Teperoglou, E. (2015) The 2014 European Parliament elections in Southern Europe: second-order or critical elections?, South European Society and Politics, τχ. 20 (3)
20. Teperoglou, E. & Tsatsanis, E. (2014) “Dealignment, de-legitimation and the implosion of the two-party system in Greece: The earthquake election of 6 May 2012” , Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties, τχ. 24 (2), σελ. 222-242.
21. Teperoglou, Ε. ,  Tsatsanis, Ε. & Nicolakopoulos, Ε.  (2015) “Habituating to the new normal: The 2014 European Election in Greece in a post-earthquake party system”, South European Society and Politics, τχ. 20 (3),σελ. 333-355.
22. Tsatsanis, E. & Teperoglou, E. (2016) “Realignment under Stress: The July 2015 Referendum and the September Parliamentary Election in Greece”, South European Society and Politics, τχ 21(4): 427-450.