Research

As key actors for the functioning of modern democracies, political parties are my principal object of study. I investigate how they are organised, who joins them, and how both these aspects shape political participation and representation.

 
I have two main lines of enquiry. The first explores how populist radical right parties organise. The second addresses how political parties can become more inclusive venues for political engagement and office recruitment. These questions drive my research on the four topics listed below.

A distinctive feature of my work is the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, particularly interviews and surveys. Another is the cross-regional comparative approach I adopt in my research designs. To date, I have conducted interviews and/or surveys in 7 countries across 4 continents, including Australia, India, Italy and the United States.
 
Below you can find more information on the four research areas I am currently working on, as well as my publications and works in progress for each.

The populist radical right

Party organisation is pivotal to the success of populist radical right (PRR) parties, yet until recently it has remained an overlooked topic in the field....

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Women in politics

My research in this area focuses on women at the grassroots of political parties. While we know a lot about women’s participation as candidates and...

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Party members & organisation

Party membership might be in decline, yet most political parties remain membership organisations, and party members continue to be the principal source of candidates and...

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Youth in politics

My research on this area focuses on the youth wings of political parties. Youth wings fulfil vital functions for parties, including recruiting, socialising and training...

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