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Prof Alan Renwick
3.15
Department of Political Science
29 Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9QU
Appointment
- Professor of Democratic Politics
- Dept of Political Science
- Faculty of S&HS
Biography
Alan Renwick is an expert in the mechanisms through which citizens can participate in formal politics: particularly in electoral systems, referendums, and deliberative processes such as citizens' assemblies. His research is comparative: besides the UK, his recent projects have included all European democracies as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and the United States.
Alan works with policy-makers on a range of issues. He became a source of authoritative, impartial evidence during the UK's electoral system referendum of 2011. He has provided evidence to parliamentary select committees on a range of topics, including the conduct of referendums, electoral reform, reform of the House of Lords, and citizens' assemblies. He is currently engaged with those interested in understanding how to improve the quality of information available during election and referendum campaigns and how to bring a more deliberative approach to politics. Outside the UK, he has also provided advice and participated in debates in a range of settings, including Egypt, Jordan, Hong Kong, and Jersey.
Research Groups
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See LessResearch Summary
Alan Renwick's research focuses on the mechanisms through which citizens can engage in formal democratic politics and policy-making, particularly elections, referendums, and citizens' assemblies.
Much of Alan's current research focuses on the conduct of elections and referendums. He recently completed a project looking at ways of improving the quality of the information and discussion during election and referendum campaigns. This work fed directly into the 2018 report of the Independent Commission on Referendums.
Alan is one of the world's leading experts on processes of electoral reform: he has written two major academic books on the subject and a third book aimed for a general audience. He has also contributed to public debates in the UK and elsewhere. His most recent research focuses in particular on the 'personalisation' of European electoral systems.
Alan is a leading voice in debates about the development of more deliberative approaches to democracy, particularly through citizens' assemblies. He led the project to run a Citizens' Assembly on Brexit in September 2017, which gave unique insights into what kind of Brexit members of the public preferred once they had had the chance to learn and think in depth about the options. This project was part of the ESRC-funded UK in a Changing Europe initiative. Before that, he was part of the Democracy Matters project, and he has examined in depth the idea of establishing a constitutional convention to consider issues of constitutional and democratic reform in the UK.
Teaching Summary
Alan Renwick teaches the undergraduate modules in British Politics and in Democratic Challenges and Innovations. He is also available to supervise undergraduate and Master's dissertations and PhD projects in areas related to his research.
