Collective choice by referendums and elections #1680016 Ulster University - Belfast Campus in United Kingdom

Use of referendums has increased significantly over the last quarter of a century. It is argued that referendums enable direct democracy since ordinary citizens directly decide policy issues without intermediating politicians. Yet, modern referendums do not supplant representative democracy, they only supplement it.

Research questions:

(1) Who to include in the “people” whose preferences are counted, which relates to suffrage rights and voter competence.

(2) The role of political parties and whether referendums are dominated by elites and special interests or taken over by populist groups.

(3) The presence or absence of popular deliberation in the referendum process, and whether voters focus on the referendum issue, or treat the referendum as an opportunity to register their concerns about other issues.

(4) The suitability of majoritarian referendums in divided societies and other options including vetoes, power-sharing arrangements, and judicial review.

(5) The conduct of referendums including framing the question and campaign finance.

(6) The ‘demand’ and ‘supply’ factors that explain the recent growth of calling referendums.

The research will be based on political economy methodology combining collective choice theories of the formation of the state, mechanisms for aggregation of individual preferences, checks and balances, accountability of government, and may require statistical examination of the use of referendums in different countries.