Party People: Candidates and Party Evolution

Political parties are nothing without their people and candidates are essential to their core functions. Candidates can enter or leave politics, switch parties, or move along or stay behind when parties split or merge. This book presents a groundbreaking study of party evolution using candidate change as an indicator of party change, based on a new database of 200,000 electoral candidates from over 60 elections across nine CEE democracies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 19 October 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Political parties are undeniably reliant on their dedicated members and candidates play a vital role in the core functions of these organizations. Candidates, often referred to as the face of parties, are essential in contesting elections, filling political offices, and shaping policy. However, it's important to note that candidates are not bound to a party permanently. They have the freedom to enter or leave politics, switch parties, or even move along or stay behind when parties undergo splits or mergers. Even within seemingly stable parties, changes in candidates can occur beneath the surface, ultimately altering the party's stance and values.

This intriguing perspective is inspired by evolutionary theories and is explored in the book "Party People: Candidates and Party Evolution." The authors conceptualize candidates as party genes and develop a candidate-based approach to party evolution. By tracking candidates between elections and parties, the book offers new insights into the complex and dynamic processes of party development in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and beyond.

The study is based on a comprehensive database of 200,000 electoral candidates from over 60 elections across nine CEE democracies. This extensive data provides a groundbreaking foundation for the analysis of party evolution using candidate change as an indicator. Authors Allan Sikk and Philipp Köker make significant contributions to the study of CEE party politics and the broader field of elections, parties, and political change with their methodological and conceptual advancements in measuring candidate turnover, party fission and fusion, programmatic change, and party leadership change.

The resulting analyses in this book make a substantial impact on our understanding of CEE party politics and offer valuable insights into the dynamics of political change more broadly. "Comparative Politics" is a series dedicated to researchers, teachers, and students of political science. With a global scope, the series emphasizes comparative analysis and maintains rigorous methodological rigor. It is published in association with the European Consor, further enhancing its reputation and reach.

In conclusion, political parties and candidates are intertwined, with candidates serving as the visible representatives of these organizations. While candidates may come and go, their impact on parties and the broader political landscape is enduring. By studying the dynamics of candidate change, we gain valuable insights into the evolution of parties and the dynamics of political change in different regions and contexts. The book "Party People: Candidates and Party Evolution" is a groundbreaking contribution to this field, providing a rich and comprehensive analysis of party evolution through the lens of candidate change.

Weight: 568g
Dimension: 242 x 165 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198868125