Political parties and legislative party switching
By: edited by William B. Heller, Carol Mershon.
Contributors: Heller, William B.; Mershon, Carol.
Publisher: Palgrave-Macmillan; Palgrave Macmillan
Published: 2009
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 316
ISBN-13: 9780230607552
Subjects: Party affiliation; Political parties; Legislative bodies; Comparative government
Description: Political parties and democratic politics go hand in hand. Since parties matter, it matters too when elected politicians change party affiliation. This book shows when, when, and to what effect politicians switch parties in pursuit of their goals, as constrained by institutions and in response to their environments. The contributors examine diverse settings, from Europe to Israel, from the United States to Japan, from Russia to Brazil. They also integrate formal and empirical approaches in political science. The book demonstrates that taking party switching seriously enriches the understanding of political parties, legislative politics, policy making, and democratic representation.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.