External Voting: The Patterns and Drivers of Central European Migrants' Homeland Electoral Participation

This open-access book is the first to bring together insights from comparative politics, political sociology, and migration studies to introduce the current state of knowledge on external voting and transnational politics. It draws on new data gathered within the DIASPOlitic project and provides answers to previously unaddressed questions. The empirical material focuses on the European context, particularly the Eastern Enlargement of the European Union (2004-2007) and the westward wave of migration from Central and Eastern European countries. The book discusses core puzzles in transnational politics and external voting, introduces the context of intra-European migration, addresses empirical puzzles, and concludes with a discussion of non-resident voters' enfranchisement and the terrain ahead for future research.

Format: Hardback
Length: 116 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This groundbreaking open-access book is a pioneering effort that brings together insights from comparative politics, political sociology, and migration studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of knowledge on external voting and transnational politics. Drawing on extensive new data gathered within the DIASPOlitic project, which created a comparative dataset of external voting results for 6 countries of origin and 17 countries of residence, as well as an extensive qualitative dataset of 80 in-depth interviews with four groups of migrants, this book not only illustrates theoretical problems with empirical material but also offers insightful answers to previously unaddressed questions.

The empirical material in this book primarily focuses on the European context, particularly the Eastern Enlargement of the European Union (2004-2007), which triggered a westward wave of migration from Central and Eastern European countries. This migration process coincided with the expansion of migrant voting rights, resulting in the formation of large and populous diaspora communities that have the potential to significantly impact country electoral politics. Given the relevance of external voting in this context, the study of external voting becomes highly significant.

The introduction of this book takes stock of current research on transnational politics and external voting, presenting core puzzles that require further exploration. The following chapter provides a contextualization of intra-European migration and the political situation in Central-Eastern European sending countries. The subsequent two sections address the empirical puzzles by drawing on new quantitative and qualitative data. These sections provide a rich and detailed analysis of the factors that influence external voting behavior, including factors such as political attitudes, social networks, and cultural differences.

In the conclusion, the book takes stock of the evidence gathered throughout the study and discusses the normative problem of non-resident voters' enfranchisement. It connects external voting to the broader debate on political remittances and explores the potential implications of external voting for the future of democratic governance. Additionally, the book maps the trends and patterns of external voting across different countries and regions, shedding light on the complex dynamics that shape transnational politics.

Overall, this book is a valuable contribution to the field of political science and offers a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between migration, external voting, and transnational politics. It will be of interest to scholars, researchers, policymakers, and anyone who is interested in understanding the dynamics of global citizenship and the role of migrants in shaping political outcomes.

Weight: 310g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031192456
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023