You are expected to write a final paper on a topic related to interest group politics.
– Critical literature review: a critical and in-depth comparison of two or more approaches, some hypotheses, and theories we have discussed in the course. This is largely literatureresearch for which you read additional theoretical and empirical work (at minimum 5 extra scholarly articles; see also the recommended reading list).
– Themes for these two types of papers include: mapping and explaining the density and diversity of the interest group population mobilized on a particular policy issue, comparing the strategies of two or more interest groups, an analysis of the impact of interest group lobbying, the (problematic or less problematic) legitimacy of interest groups, the debate on transparency and regulation, and so on.
– Overall, to write a good paper, you need to draw upon the readings we discussed during the seminar and other academic journal articles or books. Any arguments you make in the paper must be supported by evidence gathered from primary or secondary academic and/or non-academic sources (so-called grey literature). It is not sufficient to provide a summary of the literature or just present only your own thoughts about the topic. In order to successfully develop the paper, you have to develop a theory-inspired argument. Reproduction is very easy, but creative thinking is challenging… and more interesting!
– The paper should be max 12-15 pages in a font no smaller than 11 points (6500 words max; 4000 minimum; average around 5000-5500 words). You should start thinking about the paper early on (and not postpone it till late May or so).
– The criteria for assessing individual papers are the following (60% of the grade):
o For a theoretical paper, does the research question speak to a conflict/inconsistency in the literature?
o mastery and knowledge of the topic, theories, and papers cited: this assesses the factual accuracy and general knowledge of the topic, the theories used in the analysis, and the papers on which your paper builds;
o justification of selected papers (for the review paper): to answer the research question, do you use an appropriate approach
Explaining the Density and Diversity of Interest Group Populations
Research Focus:
This topic centers on a central question in interest group research:
What explains the variation in the density and diversity of interest group populations across different policy domains or political systems?
You will critically review competing theories that aim to explain:
- Why some sectors or systems have many groups while others don’t,
- Why some interest populations are more diverse (e.g., business, NGOs, unions, citizen groups),
- Whether interest group populations are representative or systematically biased.
6 Articles to Use
1. Lowery, D., et al. (2015)
“Images of an Unbiased Interest System” Journal of European Public Policy, 22(8): 1212–1231
2. Willems, E., et al. (2021)
“Interest representation in Belgium” Politics of the Low Countries, 3(1): 32–72
3. Berkhout, J., et al. (2018)
“Comparing Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mapping of Interest Systems” Political Studies, 66(1): 43–62
4. Hanegraaff, M., et al. (2017)
“Who is represented? Exploring the demographic structure of interest group membership” ECPR General Conference Paper
5. Beyers, J., Eising, R., & Maloney, W.A. (2008)
“Researching Interest Group Politics in Europe and Elsewhere” West European Politics, 31(6): 1103–1128
6. Salisbury, R. (1969)
“An Exchange Theory of Interest Groups” Midwest Journal of Political Science, 13(1): 1–32