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Between Science and Engineering: Reflections on the APSA Presidential Task Force on Political Science, Electoral Rules, and Democratic Governance

Political Scientists as Electoral System Engineers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2013

John Carey ,
Simon Hix ,
Mala Htun ,
Shaheen Mozaffar ,
G. Bingham Powell  and
Andrew Reynolds
John Carey
Affiliation:
Dartmouth College
Simon Hix
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
Mala Htun
Affiliation:
University of New Mexico
Shaheen Mozaffar
Affiliation:
Bridgewater State University
G. Bingham Powell
Affiliation:
University of Rochester
Andrew Reynolds
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina
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Abstract

Political scientists have contributed to the world of electoral systems as scientists and as engineers. Taking stock of recent scientific research, we show that context modifies the effects of electoral rules on political outcomes in specific and systematic ways. We explore how electoral rules shape the inclusion of women and minorities, the depth and nature of political competition, and patterns of redistribution and regulation, and we consider institutional innovations that could promote political equality. Finally, we describe the diverse ways that political scientists produce an impact on the world by sharing and applying their knowledge of the consequences of electoral rules and global trends in reform.

Type
Symposium: Between Science and Engineering
Information
Perspectives on Politics , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , September 2013 , pp. 827 - 840
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 2013 

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