Why use the BES Data Playground?
Studying British Politics in Kansas City
How Coalition Governments in the UK Affect Party Support
Alexander Q. Lockwood This past year in the United States, a momentous election took place! According to Drew DeSilver a writer and researcher for the Pew Research Center “Americans voted in record numbers in last year’s presidential election, casting nearly 158.4 million ballots. That works out to more than six-in-ten people of voting age and… Continue reading How Coalition Governments in the UK Affect Party Support
For our Democracy
Blog question: How has the handling of voter application forms affect people who never received a voting form from the area that they live in? Voting in elections is important in the United Kingdom. As every voter will make the decision on who they want in the parliament and the issues that they want the… Continue reading For our Democracy
Analysis on the Volatility of UK Voters at the Polls Since Brexit
Research Question: What are the driving forces behind the recent high level of volatility of UK voters at the polls since the Brexit vote? The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union was an unexpected and heavily scrutinized result which immediately catapulted the future of the UK into tremendous turmoil both politically and economically. Since… Continue reading Analysis on the Volatility of UK Voters at the Polls Since Brexit
The Value of Traditional Values
The values we hold are influenced by a multitude of factors. Those values then serve to influence our behavior and decision-making process, particularly as it relates to political matters and our partisan leanings. The British Election Study seeks to evaluate the values held within the United Kingdom’s populace through a variety of survey questions. One… Continue reading The Value of Traditional Values
Voting Opinion Differences Among the Young and the Old
Different people have different opinions about voting, but there seems to be a trend on those opinions depending on the age group those people are in. It seems that those in the age range of 26-35 are polar opposites of those in the age range of 66+. First off, are people interested in the general… Continue reading Voting Opinion Differences Among the Young and the Old
Demographics and its Effects on Immigration and Minorities
Immigration and ethnic minorities can quickly become very important topics in countries where previously mostly homogenous start to become more diverse and cultural differences start to appear in society. Different parts of society will react differently to these changes whether it be positive or negative. Demographics play a huge role in how people react to… Continue reading Demographics and its Effects on Immigration and Minorities
Will UKIP Learn from it’s Past?
With European Parliament elections fast approaching and a Brexit solution still nowhere in sight I’m left wondering what kind of showing UKIP will put forth in this election. In the last EU parliament election, they did quite well by any standard. According to the BBC’s 2014 election coverage UKIP got 4,376,635 votes and gained eleven… Continue reading Will UKIP Learn from it’s Past?
Age and Political Negativity: Are Younger People More Likely to Distrust Politicians?
More and more young people have become involved in the politics of their country. As the most impatient generation, as well as increasingly more politically active, young voters have balked at old systems set in place years before they were born. In the United States for example, they are living in an increasingly polarized society—a… Continue reading Age and Political Negativity: Are Younger People More Likely to Distrust Politicians?
Is the SNP losing your interest?
The Scottish National Party (SNP) is losing interest in voters at quite an alarming rate. The once popular SNP gained momentum in the 2016 Parliamentary Election. The rise in popularity during this time stemmed from the consideration of holding a second independence referendum when the United Kingdom (UK) decided to leave the European Union (EU).… Continue reading Is the SNP losing your interest?
What the Scottish Independence Referendum meant for 2015 General Election
The Scottish referendum was a huge moment in the history of Scotland with a close vote to keep them within the UK. In 2014 the UK held a referendum in Scotland on whether Scotland would become an independent country outside of the UK. The vote results were 45% on yes to becoming an independent nation… Continue reading What the Scottish Independence Referendum meant for 2015 General Election