Timothy S Rich
Biographic Data
| ID | 95401 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Timothy S Rich |
| GIVEN NAMES | Timothy S |
| FAMILY NAME | Rich |
| SIGNATURE | RICH T S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Western Kentucky University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8940-958X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 63 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 192 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 63 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2008 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 8 |
From Passion to Pragmatism
To what extent do economic considerations depress support for unification in South Korea? Survey data consistently show a public supportive of unification, but research rarely captures to what extent the public considers the costs associated with this outcome, nor whether, when given the choice, they consider peaceful coexistence an acceptable alternative, especially given that South Koreans increasingly view North Koreans as not part of the same…
The Impact of Partisanship, Performance, and Generalised Trust on Institutional Trust in Taiwan
While a growing literature tackles institutional trust in democracies, the extent to which partisanship, performance evaluations, and generalised social trust influence this trust remains poorly understood. Against this backdrop, Taiwan, a third-wave democracy, faces many of the same challenges of declining trust, as well as the potential lingering influences of authoritarian nostalgia influencing views on institutions and democracy more broadly.…
Public Support of Free Speech Limitations in Taiwan: The Partisan Connection
What explains public support for free speech limitations in Taiwan? I suggest that one’s partisanship, cultural factors prioritizing stability, and views on democracy itself shape tolerance for speech limitations. Although a combination of existing data from the Taiwan Social Change Survey and AsianBarometer, along with original survey data, I find broad opposition to free speech limitations, however supporters of the ruling party consistently we…
When Do South Koreans Support Government Restrictions on Media? The Roles of Partisanship and Democratic Support
Despite freedoms of speech and media constituting a key role of liberal democracy, little attention falls on public tolerance of government restrictions on media. South Korea provides a unique context to assess partisan views as well as views on preferences for democracy. Using original survey data, this analysis finds broad opposition to government restrictions, in line with expectations of liberal democracies. However, consistent with the loser…
Policy as a Booster Shot? The Impact of Satisfaction with Pandemic Policies on Presidential Evaluations in Taiwan
How does satisfaction in COVID policies influence presidential evaluations? Taiwan's initial handling of the pandemic garnered considerable international attention, with initial high public satisfaction. Little attention, however, falls on how this satisfaction influenced evaluations of Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, over time. With nine survey waves from 2020 to 2022, this analysis finds that satisfaction with COVID policies corresponded with…
Categorizing Institutional Trust in South Korea: Evidence From the 2021 Social Integration Survey
What explains institutional trust in South Korea and to what extent does this differ across types of institutions? Existing research focuses on performance versus generalized social trust, but rarely evaluates types of state institutions or compares them with views on non-state institutions, making it unclear whether the same underlying factors shape perceptions. With data from South Korea's 2021 Social Integration Survey, I find stronger evidenc…
When the tables turn: Parties in power, losers’ consent, and institutional trust in Taiwan
How does vote choice and partisanship affect institutional trust in Taiwan? While the literature tackles institutional trust in democracies, analyses often focus on only one time period with aggregate measures of trust. Data from two waves from the Asian Barometer finds evidence consistent with losers’ consent of trust in electoral institutions corresponding with party support and vote choice, factors that remain after controlling for trust in no…
The impact of social and institutional trust on South Korean perceptions of North Korean arrivals
How do forms of trust influence South Korean views of North Korean arrivals? While a broad literature addresses the institutional and generalized social trust impacting a range of public perceptions, this has not been extended to views on North Korean arrivals. Meanwhile, research on views of arrivals often relies on only one measure for what are likely complex concerns. Through the use of a 2021 Korean Social Integration Survey, we find evidence…
South Korean Perceptions of Misinformation on Social Media: The Limits of a Consensus
How do South Koreans view efforts at combating misinformation on social media? The growing influence of social media companies and their willingness to engage in content moderation on their platforms expands the domain of free speech and information beyond government actions. Through original survey work, I find that South Koreans, across party lines, largely acknowledge concerns about misinformation on social media, with views on media freedom a…
How Has the War in Ukraine Shaped Taiwanese Concerns about Their Own Defense
How does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affect Taiwanese perceptions about their own defense? Despite frequent comparisons of the war in Ukraine with a potential invasion of Taiwan, existing analyses do not directly measure Taiwanese public perceptions of a linkage. Using survey data from the Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research, we identify not only the extent of concern about the war but also how this corresponds to worries …
Outlooks and affinities: What motivates American public support for defending Taiwan
Surveys increasingly show Americans support efforts to Taiwan from Chinese aggression. Yet few studies unpack how overall views of international commitments as well as specific views of Taiwan and China influence this support, focusing more partisan identification. Through original survey data, I find evaluations of Taiwan playing a larger role than anti-China sentiment in driving support for Taiwan's defense. In addition, those desiring American…
Cost tolerance and South Korean public perceptions of the US military presence
What explains South Korean public perceptions of the US military presence in their country? Most estimates place South Korea's share of the military costs at around 41%. In 2020, the Trump administration pushed for South Korea to pay five times more than previous agreements, while the Biden administration in 2021 ultimately settled on a 14% increase. However, previous research has not directly tackled whether the public is cost-sensitive to the U…
All Are Not Equal: Taiwanese Public Opinion on Southeast Asian Immigration
What influences Taiwanese public opinion on immigration? Taiwan faces the same immigration challenges as many other developed nations, where the demand for immigrant workers produces a domestic backlash. Our study addresses to what extent public opinions on immigration are influenced by two factors: the skills of immigrants and their place of origin. Our results show, besides the preference for skilled labour, that public opinion on the three Sou…
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Diplomatic Recognition of Taiwan, 1950–2016
What explains why some countries recognise Taiwan despite attempts by the People’s Republic of China to pressure some to switch recognition? We argue for moving beyond ‘dollar diplomacy’ claims to unpack additional economic influences that might help explain why some states favour Taiwan. Using cross-national evidence from all countries (1950–2016), we find multiple economic factors influencing recognition and conclude that Taiwan’s comparative s…
Religion, Contact, and LGBT Acceptance: Survey Evidence from South Korea
What factors explain South Korean public opinion on LGBT issues? Via an original survey, we tackle the influence of religion and of knowing a Korean LGBT person on two issues: same-sex marriage and comfort with an LGBT neighbor. We find that of religious identifications studied, only Protestants corresponded with lower support, while knowing a Korean LGBT person strongly correlated with support of both. Moreover, we find that comfort with an LGBT…
Why Help North Korea? Foreign Aid to North Korea and Its Determinants, 2002–2018
Since North Korea solicited international assistance due to famine in 1995, the international community has provided billions of dollars of aid to the country. Despite multiple challenges from donors' perspectives, bilateral donors continue to extend aid grants that play a significant role in sustaining North Korea's dysfunctional economy. Nevertheless, there are great variations among bilateral donors in terms of aid amounts to North Korea. This…
Who is welcome? South Korean public opinion on North Koreans and other refugees
What explains South Korean public opposition for refugees and does the public differentiate among groups? Although a sizable literature addresses perceptions of North Korean arrivals, few studies directly compare sentiment for this group to others. Using an original web survey with an embedded experimental design, we find clear greater support for accepting North Korean arrivals compared to both non-ethnic Korean refugees and Muslim refugees. Add…
The Lingering Effects of Losing and Nonvoting on Institutional Trust: An Analysis of South Korea
To what extent do supporters of electoral losers and nonvoters maintain lower evaluations of institutions post-election? A sizable literature identifies a divergence in perceptions among winners and losers regarding democratic satisfaction, with few studies extending this to perceptions of other electoral and nonelectoral institutions nor to include nonvoters. The timing of the 2015 Asian Barometer survey in South Korea allows us to identify eval…
Unpacking the Roles of Religion and Partisanship on Support for Same-Sex Marriage: Evidence from South Korea
We ask to what extent opposition to same-sex marriage in South Korea is driven by Protestant identification and how this differs from Catholic and non-Christian views. Furthermore, is there a separate demographic, partisan or ideological influence beyond that captured by religious identity? Analysis of the 2016 Korean General Social Survey (KGSS) data finds not only clear perceptual distinctions between Protestants versus Buddhists and Catholics,…
Taiwanese Public Perceptions of Diplomatic Recognition: An Experimental Analysis
What explains public support for Taiwan’s diplomatic recognition efforts? A sizable literature addresses the role of China and ‘dollar diplomacy’ in influencing countries to recognise Taiwan, yet little research addresses how these factors potentially influence Taiwanese public perceptions of efforts to maintain formal diplomatic recognition. Through four waves of an experimental survey design, we find that Taiwanese are more supportive of effort…
South Korean perceptions of North Korean immigration: Evidence from an experimental survey
What explains the South Korean public’s support for resettlement policies for North Korean arrivals and to what extent does the presentation of this issue influence these perceptions? A crucial and overlooked component of South Korea’s policy towards these North Koreans is the role of public perceptions. We contend that both the gender of the North Korean and the respondent shape perceptions. Via an original experimental web survey, we find a mor…
Proximity, contact and tolerance of homosexuals in Korea: Evidence From an Experimental Survey
Compared to most developed democracies, South Korea lags behind in terms of LGBT tolerance. This analysis suggests that relational proximity and knowing a Korean LGBT person influence this tolerance. Through an experimental web survey design, results show that the closer the relational proximity (coworker versus friend versus family member), the less one stated their comfort with being around a homosexual. The same pattern endures among those who…
Winners, losers, and the others: Disaggregating South Korean satisfaction with politics
What factors influence satisfaction with politics after elections? The literature on losers’ consent consistently finds diverging perceptions between electoral winners and losers, but rarely disaggregates the electorate further into nonpartisan voters and nonvoters. In addition, the literature relies heavily on individual elections in isolation and thus is rarely able to address general trends. This study uses Korean General Social Survey (KGSS) …
Explaining Support for Same-Sex Marriage: Evidence from Taiwan
What explains Taiwan’s vacillating support for same-sex marriage? Despite earlier favourable public opinion and a Constitutional Court decision in 2017 in favour of legalisation, anti- lgbt referendums in 2018 found overwhelming support. We argue that the framing of same-sex marriage as undermining traditional family structures allowed opponents to shift the national discussion on legalisation. Our results suggest that supporters and the Tsai adm…
Casualties and Public Support for Military Conflict with North Korea
What explains the American public’s support for military conflict with North Korea? Despite increased rhetoric, few analyses address American public opinion or whether priming the public to consider casualties influences their perceptions. The results of an experimental survey design suggest that mentioning the human cost—even without explicit references to American casualties—reduces support for American military action against North Korea but n…
Party Voting Cohesion in Mixed Member Legislative Systems: Evidence from Korea and Taiwan
How do mixed‐member legislative systems influence legislator voting? While the literature remains inconclusive, this article suggests party influence as an intervening variable. Through an analysis of roll‐call data from Taiwan and Korea, no deviation is evident between district legislators and legislators elected by proportional representation. Further disaggregation of what it means to vote against one's party again finds little evidence of a t…
Losers’ Consent or Non-Voter Consent? Satisfaction with Democracy in East Asia
How do electoral outcomes influence views on democracy among East Asian countries? A sizable literature assesses differences between electoral winners and losers, but few cover East Asian cases. Using cross-national survey data from the Asian Barometer (ABS), this article analyzes the extent to which losers are less satisfied with democracy. Unlike much of the literature, this analysis also addresses a third category: those that did not vote. Emp…
Duverger's Law in mixed legislative systems: The impact of national electoral rules on district competition
How do institutional factors shape district competition in mixed legislative systems? Preliminary evidence suggests the distinction between sub‐types of mixed systems alone poorly explains variation in district results. Consistent with the contamination thesis, this analysis suggests three additional national‐level factors at play: fused ballots, the electoral threshold for proportional representation seats, and the existence of compulsory voting…
Losers’ and Non-voters’ Consent: Democratic Satisfaction in the 2009 and 2013 Elections in Germany
The literature on losers’ consent identifies clear distinctions in perceptions of democracy between electoral losers and winners. However, little of the literature addresses the complexities of mixed member electoral systems or compares this winner–loser divergence to that of non-voters. An analysis of post-election surveys in Germany in 2009 and 2013 allows for a disaggregation of types of losers and non-voters. Results find that voting for a di…
Religion and Public Perceptions of Gays and Lesbians in South Korea
Public support for gay and lesbian rights has increased in Western democracies, yet less is known regarding views in South Korea, or East Asia more broadly. Rather than broad cultural claims, this analysis asks to what extent religious identification explains perceptions of gays and lesbians. Public opinion survey data from South Korea finds that Protestants were consistently less supportive of homosexual issues compared to Catholics, Buddhists, …
Electoral paths and support for same-sex marriage legislation: Evidence from Taiwan’s mixed-member system
To what extent do electoral institutions influence positions on same-sex marriage? Debates over same-sex marriage legislation have increased globally for the past 20 years, yet little research focuses on either debates in East Asia or the effect of electoral institutions. Using an original dataset on Taiwanese legislators and their public stances on same-sex marriage, this research finds that legislators elected under proportional representation …
Explaining Support for Same-Sex Marriage: Evidence from Taiwan
What explains Taiwan’s vacillating support for same-sex marriage? Despite earlier favourable public opinion and a Constitutional Court decision in 2017 in favour of legalisation, anti- lgbt referendums in 2018 found overwhelming support. We argue that the framing of same-sex marriage as undermining traditional family structures allowed opponents to shift the national discussion on legalisation. Our results suggest that supporters and the Tsai adm…
The Timing of Split-Ticket Voting Decisions in Mixed Systems: Evidence from South Korea
Although two-vote mixed legislative systems have proliferated globally, the factors contributing to split-ticketing in these cases remains poorly understood. Using survey data regarding South Korea's 2008 National Assembly election, this article addresses two questions: Is ticket-splitting in two-vote legislative systems influenced by the timing of one's vote decision and are late deciders more or less rational in their decision to ticket-split t…
Why invest in North Korea? Chinese foreign direct investment in North Korea and its implications
North Korea has been regarded as the least likely place to attract foreign investors due to its poor infrastructure, policy reversals, and totalitarian regime. However, the recent growth of Chinese direct investment in North Korea has drawn much attention due to its implications for the North Korean economy and regional stability. This research provides an analytical framework by considering two fundamental issues that any foreign investor takes …
Who is welcome? South Korean public opinion on North Koreans and other refugees
What explains South Korean public opposition for refugees and does the public differentiate among groups? Although a sizable literature addresses perceptions of North Korean arrivals, few studies directly compare sentiment for this group to others. Using an original web survey with an embedded experimental design, we find clear greater support for accepting North Korean arrivals compared to both non-ethnic Korean refugees and Muslim refugees. Add…
The Electoral Incentives for Legislator Perceptions in Mixed Systems: Integrating Evidence From East Asia
How do mixed legislative systems shape legislator behaviour? This article analyses the three East Asian cases—Japan, Taiwan and Korea—to identify whether these conform to institutional expectations seen elsewhere (e.g., Germany and New Zealand), namely a difference between those elected in single member districts (SMDs) versus proportional representation (PR). Through survey data in all three countries, empirical evidence is largely consistent wi…
The Impact of Gender and Nomination Paths on Strategic Voting: Experimental Evidence from South Korea
What influences strategic voting? This paper evaluates the influence of two often overlooked factors: the gender of the candidates and the nomination process. Through our experimental design using South Korea as a case study, we find strategic voting to be less common than conventional wisdom would expect. Furthermore, our findings show that both gender and nomination paths influence voting behaviour, with implications for efforts to promote gend…
Winning is not everything: Public perceptions of losers and non-voters in South Africa
Strategic Voting and the Role of Polls: Evidence from an Embedded Web Survey
What motivates people to vote strategically? Although a broad literature addresses this question, few studies capture the point at which individuals shift from sincere to strategic voters. Furthermore, the influence of polling information remains debated. The analysis in this article tackles strategic voting with an original embedded experiment in a web survey. Empirical analysis finds that respondents who were told of the margin of error in pree…
Proximity, contact and tolerance of homosexuals in Korea: Evidence From an Experimental Survey
Compared to most developed democracies, South Korea lags behind in terms of LGBT tolerance. This analysis suggests that relational proximity and knowing a Korean LGBT person influence this tolerance. Through an experimental web survey design, results show that the closer the relational proximity (coworker versus friend versus family member), the less one stated their comfort with being around a homosexual. The same pattern endures among those who…
Institutional Variation and the Effects on District Competition: The Case of South Korea
How do alterations in electoral rules shape competition? This article analyses district level competition in six legislative elections in South Korea (1988–2008) to identify whether Duvergerian pressures are restricting the number of competitors. South Korea provides a unique opportunity to analyse variation in mixed election rules, where seats are allocated in both single-member districts (SMDs) and a nationwide list by proportional representati…
How Has the War in Ukraine Shaped Taiwanese Concerns about Their Own Defense
How does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affect Taiwanese perceptions about their own defense? Despite frequent comparisons of the war in Ukraine with a potential invasion of Taiwan, existing analyses do not directly measure Taiwanese public perceptions of a linkage. Using survey data from the Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research, we identify not only the extent of concern about the war but also how this corresponds to worries …
The Lingering Effects of Losing and Nonvoting on Institutional Trust: An Analysis of South Korea
To what extent do supporters of electoral losers and nonvoters maintain lower evaluations of institutions post-election? A sizable literature identifies a divergence in perceptions among winners and losers regarding democratic satisfaction, with few studies extending this to perceptions of other electoral and nonelectoral institutions nor to include nonvoters. The timing of the 2015 Asian Barometer survey in South Korea allows us to identify eval…
Unpacking the Roles of Religion and Partisanship on Support for Same-Sex Marriage: Evidence from South Korea
We ask to what extent opposition to same-sex marriage in South Korea is driven by Protestant identification and how this differs from Catholic and non-Christian views. Furthermore, is there a separate demographic, partisan or ideological influence beyond that captured by religious identity? Analysis of the 2016 Korean General Social Survey (KGSS) data finds not only clear perceptual distinctions between Protestants versus Buddhists and Catholics,…
Assessing Losers Consent in Mixed Systems: Public Perceptions of Taiwan’s 2008 Legislative Yuan Election
A large literature identifies perceptual differences between citizens that support winning parties versus losing parties. These analyses fail to capture the complexity of mixed member legislative systems where one can be a winner or loser at both the national and district level. This paper proposes a two-level framework for the analysis of mixed system. An analysis of Taiwan’s first election under a mixed system provides evidence that both suppor…
Introducing the Great Successor: North Korean English language news coverage of Kim Jong Un 2010–2011
How did North Korea initially frame coverage of the “Great Successor” Kim Jong Un for an international audience? This paper argues that North Korea’s daily English language news reports, while commonly dismissed as purely propaganda, provides potential insights into such framing. Through automated content analysis of daily news reports from 2010 through 2011 coupled with regression analysis, this analysis both suggests an increased focus on Kim J…
Understanding the Rules of the Game: Evidence From Taiwan's Mixed Legislative System
How does the public understand mixed‐member legislative systems? Mixed systems combine seats allocated by single‐member districts and proportional representation within the same legislature. Despite a sizable literature, little attention is placed on how the public perceives these electoral systems. Survey data prior to Taiwan's second mixed legislative election allow for an analysis of technical knowledge of the system. Empirical analysis finds …
Identifying the Institutional Effects of Mixed Systems in New Democracies: The Case of Lesotho
This paper addresses the effects of the mixed system used for the last three elections in Lesotho (2002, 2007 and 2012), a small African country with a turbulent history regarding opposition acceptance of elections. The decision to implement a mixed system was in part to encourage democratic stability, yet whether the electoral system has become more conducive to democratic competition is unclear. Through an analysis of national and district-leve…
Outlooks and affinities: What motivates American public support for defending Taiwan
Surveys increasingly show Americans support efforts to Taiwan from Chinese aggression. Yet few studies unpack how overall views of international commitments as well as specific views of Taiwan and China influence this support, focusing more partisan identification. Through original survey data, I find evaluations of Taiwan playing a larger role than anti-China sentiment in driving support for Taiwan's defense. In addition, those desiring American…
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Diplomatic Recognition of Taiwan, 1950–2016
What explains why some countries recognise Taiwan despite attempts by the People’s Republic of China to pressure some to switch recognition? We argue for moving beyond ‘dollar diplomacy’ claims to unpack additional economic influences that might help explain why some states favour Taiwan. Using cross-national evidence from all countries (1950–2016), we find multiple economic factors influencing recognition and conclude that Taiwan’s comparative s…
Island Microstates and Political Contention: An Exploratory Analysis of Cape Verde and Comoros
Microstates, and especially island microstates, are routinely absent in cross-national studies of political contention, despite several structural conditions that seem to make anti-state action more likely in these countries. Th rough a structured comparative analysis of two African island microstates, Cape Verde and Comoros, this paper intends to uncover correlations between structural and institutional conditions and levels of political content…
Can Democratic Consolidation Make a Country Less Secure? The Case of Taiwan
In a comparatively short time and under constant th reat from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan transformed into a genuine functional democracy. Underpinning this rapid and relatively pea ceful transformation to a multiparty democracy were deliberate actions taken during Taiwan’s latter authoritarian days to fundamentally alter the shape democracy would take on the i sland. This shift has allowed for grea…
Institutional Variation and the Effects on District Competition: The Case of South Korea
How do alterations in electoral rules shape competition? This article analyses district level competition in six legislative elections in South Korea (1988–2008) to identify whether Duvergerian pressures are restricting the number of competitors. South Korea provides a unique opportunity to analyse variation in mixed election rules, where seats are allocated in both single-member districts (SMDs) and a nationwide list by proportional representati…
Deciphering North Korea's Nuclear Rhetoric: An Automated Content Analysis of KCNA News
New works give us glimpses into North Korea, yet little of this translates to how the government frames issues or sees the outside world. In particular, we know little about Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. This paper proposes data mining using automated content analysis—computer software to analyzes text—to track trends in North Korean rhetoric. Using daily news reports from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) for 2010 provides an empirical basi…
The Effects of Election Reform on Legislator Perceptions: The Case of Taiwan
Mixed member legislative systems have proliferated in the last twenty years, and while our knowledge of the institutional impacts has grown, we have had difficulty in separating institutional and contextual (namely party) influences. Through an analysis of Taiwan before and after the implementation of a mixed member majoritarian (MMM) system, the level of contamination between tiers and variance between parties becomes clearer. Survey results sho…
The Timing of Split-Ticket Voting Decisions in Mixed Systems: Evidence from South Korea
Although two-vote mixed legislative systems have proliferated globally, the factors contributing to split-ticketing in these cases remains poorly understood. Using survey data regarding South Korea's 2008 National Assembly election, this article addresses two questions: Is ticket-splitting in two-vote legislative systems influenced by the timing of one's vote decision and are late deciders more or less rational in their decision to ticket-split t…
Publishing as a Graduate Student: A Quick and (Hopefully) Painless Guide to Establishing Yourself as a Scholar
Graduate students seldom know how to navigate the publishing process, yet a growing expectation is that new hires are capable of immediately producing publishable research as well as teaching. Considering the current state of the job market, graduate students should plan early to take advantage of the opportunities to publish early in their graduate career. This article provides suggestions for beginning the publishing process
The Electoral Incentives for Legislator Perceptions in Mixed Systems: Integrating Evidence From East Asia
How do mixed legislative systems shape legislator behaviour? This article analyses the three East Asian cases—Japan, Taiwan and Korea—to identify whether these conform to institutional expectations seen elsewhere (e.g., Germany and New Zealand), namely a difference between those elected in single member districts (SMDs) versus proportional representation (PR). Through survey data in all three countries, empirical evidence is largely consistent wi…
Voter Perceptions and Behavior in East Asian Mixed Systems
How do mixed legislative systems shape voter behavior and public perceptions? Through an analysis of the electoral systems in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, this paper evaluates the extent to which the public in these three countries understand their mixed systems and whether claims of voter ignorance translate into irrational voting behavior based on the institutional effects of mixed systems. Through a multi-method approach including data from…
Integrating Microstates into Cross-National Research: An Exploratory Analysis
How do microstates potentially challenge our understanding of international and comparative politics? Microstates comprise as many as one-fifth of all sovereign states yet are rarely incorporated into cross-national research. Cursory analysis suggests that microstates challenge the conventional wisdom in several ways. This paper highlights some of these challenges and presents preliminary quantitative evidence suggestive of a microstate divergenc…
Introducing the Great Successor: North Korean English language news coverage of Kim Jong Un 2010–2011
How did North Korea initially frame coverage of the “Great Successor” Kim Jong Un for an international audience? This paper argues that North Korea’s daily English language news reports, while commonly dismissed as purely propaganda, provides potential insights into such framing. Through automated content analysis of daily news reports from 2010 through 2011 coupled with regression analysis, this analysis both suggests an increased focus on Kim J…
Institutional Influences on Turnout in Mixed Member Electoral Systems: An Exploratory Analysis
What institutional factors influence turnout among mixed member electoral systems? Mixed systems have increased in popularity over the past 20 years, yet no study evaluates variation in turnout within these systems. While the main distinction in mixed systems—MMM versus MMP—is salient regarding other outputs, it remains unclear if this distinction is salient regarding turnout. In addition, debates endure as to how best to measure turnout. Through…
Party Voting Cohesion in Mixed Member Legislative Systems: Evidence from Korea and Taiwan
How do mixed‐member legislative systems influence legislator voting? While the literature remains inconclusive, this article suggests party influence as an intervening variable. Through an analysis of roll‐call data from Taiwan and Korea, no deviation is evident between district legislators and legislators elected by proportional representation. Further disaggregation of what it means to vote against one's party again finds little evidence of a t…
Is Duverger's Law Working in South Korea? An Analysis of District-Level Elections 1988–2012
How do electoral rules shape competition? District level data from South Korea's seven legislative elections since democratization (1988-2012) provides a means to test one of the oldest findings in political science: Duverger's Law. South Korea provides a unique opportunity to analyze variation in mixed election rules, where seats are allocated in both single member districts (SMDs) and by a nationwide party list by proportional representation (P…
Split‐Ticket Voting inSouthKorea's 2012 National Assembly Election
What motivates split‐ticket voting in mixed electoral systems? These systems allocate seats in single‐member districts (SMDs) and by proportional representation (PR) to the same legislative house and have proliferated inAsia as well as globally. Using public opinion data fromSouthKorea's 2012 National Assembly election, this article identifies that supporters of smaller parties are more likely to split their tickets. This is consistent with the “…
Understanding the Rules of the Game: Evidence From Taiwan's Mixed Legislative System
How does the public understand mixed‐member legislative systems? Mixed systems combine seats allocated by single‐member districts and proportional representation within the same legislature. Despite a sizable literature, little attention is placed on how the public perceives these electoral systems. Survey data prior to Taiwan's second mixed legislative election allow for an analysis of technical knowledge of the system. Empirical analysis finds …
Identifying the Institutional Effects of Mixed Systems in New Democracies: The Case of Lesotho
This paper addresses the effects of the mixed system used for the last three elections in Lesotho (2002, 2007 and 2012), a small African country with a turbulent history regarding opposition acceptance of elections. The decision to implement a mixed system was in part to encourage democratic stability, yet whether the electoral system has become more conducive to democratic competition is unclear. Through an analysis of national and district-leve…
Running Out of Time? The Evolution of Taiwan's Relations in Africa
This article highlights the precarious nature of Taiwan's diplomatic relations in Africa. Whereas Cold War rationales initially benefitted Taiwan, economic interests now appear to incentivize African countries to establish relations with China. Through qualitative and quantitative data covering much of the post-World War II era, this analysis argues that economic factors have trumped political rationales for Taiwanese–African relations. In additi…
Why invest in North Korea? Chinese foreign direct investment in North Korea and its implications
North Korea has been regarded as the least likely place to attract foreign investors due to its poor infrastructure, policy reversals, and totalitarian regime. However, the recent growth of Chinese direct investment in North Korea has drawn much attention due to its implications for the North Korean economy and regional stability. This research provides an analytical framework by considering two fundamental issues that any foreign investor takes …
Duverger's Law in mixed legislative systems: The impact of national electoral rules on district competition
How do institutional factors shape district competition in mixed legislative systems? Preliminary evidence suggests the distinction between sub‐types of mixed systems alone poorly explains variation in district results. Consistent with the contamination thesis, this analysis suggests three additional national‐level factors at play: fused ballots, the electoral threshold for proportional representation seats, and the existence of compulsory voting…
Losers’ Consent or Non-Voter Consent? Satisfaction with Democracy in East Asia
How do electoral outcomes influence views on democracy among East Asian countries? A sizable literature assesses differences between electoral winners and losers, but few cover East Asian cases. Using cross-national survey data from the Asian Barometer (ABS), this article analyzes the extent to which losers are less satisfied with democracy. Unlike much of the literature, this analysis also addresses a third category: those that did not vote. Emp…
Strategic Voting and the Role of Polls: Evidence from an Embedded Web Survey
What motivates people to vote strategically? Although a broad literature addresses this question, few studies capture the point at which individuals shift from sincere to strategic voters. Furthermore, the influence of polling information remains debated. The analysis in this article tackles strategic voting with an original embedded experiment in a web survey. Empirical analysis finds that respondents who were told of the margin of error in pree…
Predatory Publishing, Open Access, and the Costs to Academia
As publishing demands increase, so does the availability of open access predatory publishing options masquerading as reputable peer-review outlets. This article cautions against the broader consequences of predatory publishing and suggests means to control their influence
Winning is not everything: Public perceptions of losers and non-voters in South Africa
District Competition in Japan’s 2014 Election: The Roles of Nominations, Incumbency, and Dual Listing
Duverger’s Law expects two-party competition in single member districts (SMDs), but evidence from mixed member systems is less consistent with these theoretical expectations. Rather than simply focusing on whether Japan’s most recent House of Representatives election converges toward Duvergerian equilibrium, this article focuses on three factors within Japan. In particular, how do the roles of major party nominations, incumbency, and dual-listing…
Political science (59 works) · Law (44 works) · Law (44 works) · Politics (44 works) · Electoral Systems and Political Participation (37 works) · Economics (33 works) · Psychology (22 works) · Sociology (22 works) · Democracy (18 works) · Legislature (18 works)