The Department of Political Science at UCL has extensive expertise in comparative politics, which involves the study of the similarities and differences of domestic political institutions and behaviour. Whilst much of this work engages in comparison across states, the study of comparative politics also includes the examination of political institutions in a domestic context at national, regional and local levels. Such domestic topics include the study of electoral systems, federalism, societal features such as social networks and public mobilisation, and the social and political behaviour of organisations, groups and individuals. Comparative research also examines how political institutions, societal features, and individuals interact to produce political outcomes at the domestic level.

We offer world -class research in the following areas of comparative politics:

• Comparative political behaviour, institutions and politics
• Performance of European political institutions
• Comparative political theory
• Normative examinations of democracy
• Democracy in divided societies and contentious politics

We have particular expertise in American, British, African, West and East European politics and our research and teaching agendas extend some of these themes and approaches to other areas of the globe, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Contact: r.bellamy@ucl.ac.uk