Meanwhile, newly democratising countries in the former communist bloc and elsewhere face problems of constructing political parties for the first time at a time when some allege that the party s over . The study of political parties and elections has always been central to the academic study of politics. Yet, surprisingly, no recognised postgraduate programme on this topic exists in the United Kingdom. Keele s M.A. in Political Parties and Elections fills an important gap. Theories of party organisation and behaviour.
Party linkages to state and government.
Party systems and party system change. Nature and functions of elections. Theories and study of voting behaviour. The collection and analysis of aggregate and individual level political data. The Department of Politics at Keele is among the liveliest and most research active in the UK, receiving a 4A rating in the 1996 Research Assessment Exercise.