Comparative Politics

The comparative politics research theme focuses on political institutions and processes, political behavior, political ideas and ideologies, as well as public opinion and political values and attitudes. Research conducted under this theme focuses on democracy and elections, parties and party systems, voting behavior, political cleavages and their transformations, including in the context of globalization, European integration and various crises. This research also examines various threats to democracy, including populism, political extremism, low levels of political participation, polarization, radicalization, and autocratization, as well as strategies for countering such threats and strengthening democratic institutions, processes and values. In terms of geographic scope, our research focuses mostly on European countries.

Head of the research field: Piret Ehin

Affiliated Staff: Martin Mölder, Mihkel Solvak, Liisa Talving, Andres Reiljan, Edgars Eihmanis, Ville Haapanen, Tatiana Lupacheva