Comparative Politics

My main research interest relates to the study of changing orientations of political parties, with particular reference to ideology and policy. Much of this is based on the content analysis of official party documentation, notably manifestos and platforms from both British and comparative perspectives. I am a principal researcher in the Comparative Manifestos Project and hold an honorary Research Fellowship in Government at the University of Essex Mark's research interests lie at the intersection of politics, philosophy and economics with an emphasis on the implications of bounded rationality and imperfect knowledge for institutional design. He has a particular interest in the works of Hayek, public choice theory and related elements of the classical liberal tradition. His earlier work focussed on the political economy of environmental planning and regulation and explored the potential for property rights approaches to environmental problems. His more recent work has explored the implications of bounded rationality in the context of contemporary theories of deliberative democracy. His latest book is called Robust Political Economy: Classical Liberalism and the Future of Public Policy, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar (2011). This work examines challenges to market liberal theory derived from neo-classical economics, communitarian political theory and egalitarian ethical theory and applies the lessons learned in the context of the welfare state, international development and environmental protection.

'Bara and Pennington's edited volume successfully fills a huge void in the market for introductory textbooks to comparative politics which previously offered either descriptions of political processes and systems or overviews of the methodology of comparative analysis. By applying major political science theories to overviews of the core elements of political systems, the authors both enhance our understanding of these elements and provide readers an excellent introduction to comparative explanation' - Dr David Howarth, University of Edinburgh

Introduction - Judith BaraPart 1: Theories and Methods1. Theories, Institutions and Comparative Politics - Mark Pennington2. Methodologies for Comparative Politics - Judith BaraPart 2: Institutions3. The Nation State - Brendan O¿Duffy4. Electoral Systems - Jocelyn A. J. Evans5. Legislatures and Executives - Catherine Needham6. The Bureaucracy - Mark Pennington7. The Courts - David Robertson8. The Territorial Dimension - Brendan O¿DuffyPart 3: Actors9. Voters, Parties and Participation - Judith Bara10. Interest Groups - Mark Pennington11. Leadership: The Long Road to Theory - David S. BellAfterword