| LINE 3. POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS, GOVERNANCE AND PARTICIPATION |
Researchers |
Group |
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Democracy, technology and deliberation
This line of research aims at analysing the interplay between digital technologies and deliberative democracy / deliberative practices. How do social media and digital technologies transform the way citizens, social movements, political parties and other political actors communicate with each other? Which problems and challenges arise in the new digital public sphere? How do digital technologies affect the quality of deliberation or the willingness to engage in political discussion? Both theoretical and empirical approaches are welcome, though priority will be given to empirically oriented research.
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GADE / CNSC |
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Collective action and the Internet The proposed research aims to determine, through the empirical analysis of one or more cases, to what extent the Internet (or any of its elements or applications) transforms the structure of collective action and helps to explain why it works. |
Dr Albert Batlle Email: abatlle@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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Party digitalisation in context: internal democracy, relinkage with citizens, desintermediation and populist leanings. The aim of this research line is to analyse and understand the evolution of political parties in the context of intense digitalisation and how they are using digital tools and social media for citizen engagement, deliberation and internal democracy. Theoretical and empirical developments are welcome and the methodology to be used can be varied and mixed: quantitative and qualitative techniques; networks, web platforms and Big Data analyses; analysis of party manifestos and documents, etc. |
Dr Rosa Borge Bravo Email: rborge@uoc.edu |
CNSC |
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Social networks and political attitudes
The proposal will analyze the impact of social media on any political attitude relevant to democracy (polarization, trust, populism ...). To analyze this impact, innovation and originality in research design and the use of different data and methodologies will be promoted.
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Dr Ana S. Cardenal Email: acardenal@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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Digital media, opinion climate, and opinion formation
This proposal focuses on the impact of new digital media on opinion-formation processes. Traditionally, individuals observed two sources of information about the climate of opinion: the mass media and the individual social environment. New digital media has expanded the number of sources, adding a new layer of information on the climate of opinion. This proposal asks how this new environment affects the processes of opinion formation according to theories that highlight the importance of opinion climates (e.g., spiral of silence) and how opinion emerges in the new digital environments.
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Dr Ana S. Cardenal Email: acardenal@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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Elite polarization and public opinion
This proposal studies the relationship between the political polarization of elites and that of the citizenry, how polarization is communicated through the media and on social networks, and how the polarization of elites affects the different sub-groups within the citizenship (e.g., partisans and moderates or independents).
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GADE |
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The Automation of Public Administrations and the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence for Administrative Law
Automated administration is characterized by being an activity carried out through electronic means without the need for involvement of a public employee. In recent times, public administrations have incorporated artificial intelligence to improve automatization. Throughout these research line the legal regime of automated administration, the risks that the use of artificial intelligence may entail in the automation of public administration are assessed and the impact that automation can have on Administrative Law can be analized.
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Dr Agustí Cerrillo Dr Maur Díaz Email: mdiazjov@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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Integrity and Transparency in Public Administration
In this research line, it is proposed to analyze the mechanisms for guaranteeing public integrity and transparency.
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Dr Agustí Cerrillo Dr Maur Díaz Email: mdiazjov@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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CO2ncerned? Unexpected events and changing preferences towards anthropogenic climate change
As climate change becomes more and more evident in our everyday lives, an increasing share of people recognize the existence of global warming caused by human factors. In this new anthropogenic era, firm steps need to be taken to prevent climate conditions from passing the point of no return, if still possible. What drives people's attitudes towards climate change and the behaviours displayed as a result? In this research we will assess support for climate change policies from a quantitative perspective, in order to properly identify the causal effects driving changes in attitudes towards climate change. We will harness various causal identification techniques, such as the occurrence of unexpected events during surveys, dif-in-dif strategies and matching techniques.
The successful candidate will join the research project titled "Political attitudes, climate change and support for mitigation policies (ATTCLIMATE)" from the "Proyectos de Transición Ecológica y Transición Digital" [Ecological and Digital Transition Projects] of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (January 2023-December 2024), whose PI is Dr Marc Guinjoan (co-PI: Toni Rodon). The project will provide the successful candidate with RA assistance and funding for conducting surveys, attending conferences and so on.
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Structure and Operation of Legal Systems Analysis from the scope of legal theory and jurisprudence of any aspects related to the structure and operation of legal systems, either from a static and/or a dynamic perspective. Among other topics, and as an example: types and structure of legal, interpretation and application of law, analysis of fundamental legal concepts, legal argumentation, deontic logic, mechanisms of legal dynamics, concept of authority, (in)determination of the correct legal answer and legal discretion, and other related topics. |
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DDI |
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Political Theory and Territory This research line departs from a political science perspective to address questions related to territorial organization, identity, political processes or multilevel governance including state, regional or urban affairs. Proposals willing to combine theoretical questions with empirical analysis (surveys, geographical data, interviews) are particularly welcomed. |
Dr Iván Serrano Email: iserranoba@uoc.edu |
TURBA |
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Think tanks and political parties In recent years, think tanks have become one of the organisations that play an important role for political parties. In particular, they provide them with expert knowledge for political decision-making. Despite the growing connection between the two types of organisations, academic knowledge is still limited. In this line, the aim is to study this relationship in greater depth by means of case studies or comparative research. Among other questions, the aim is to analyse the strategic usefulness of think tanks for parties, their impact on party life, as well as the factors that may influence the scope and type of links between parties and think tanks. |
Dr Mikel Barreda Email: mbarreda@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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Quality of democracy in Latin America
This line is concerned with the study of the quality of democracy in the Latin American region, both from a comparative perspective and through case studies. It is interested in examining the empirical measurement of the quality of democracy, as well as in addressing its causal chain (main explanatory factors and effects).
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Dr Mikel Barreda Email: mbarreda@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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Polarisation in Latin American party systems Political polarisation is one of the big issues of the moment. The aim here is to examine the relevance, changes and implications of polarisation in Latin America, with a particular focus on ideological polarisation. To this end, both case studies and comparative studies can be developed. |
Dr Mikel Barreda Email: mbarreda@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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Public employment and digital transformation
The public sector faces a number of challenges that affect its human resources. Generational change and digital transformation will bring about significant changes in how public human resources are organized and what skills will be needed for the new public employee. Changes that affect both the organizational design of public bodies and the way they select and train their employees. This research line includes proposals on public employment, both from the point of view of the Civil Service Law and from a multidisciplinary perspective.
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Email: rgalindoca@uoc.edu |
GADE |
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The political economy of governance indicators
This line of research explores the role of indicators and indices as instruments of governance. On the one hand, it seeks to identify the main causes of their emergence and disappearance in specific thematic areas. On the other hand, it examines the consequences of the data in two respects. First, it examines their effects on the global political economy as a source of international authority, an instrument of global governance, a tool of advocacy and self-promotion for certain political actors, and a way of reshaping international and domestic political relations. Second, it analyses in depth the determinants of states' responses to governance indicators and indices in terms of their acceptance, acceptance, pressure or contestation.
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Dr Jordi Mas Elias Email: jmasel@uoc.edu |
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Public Policies and the Right to the City The aim of this research line is to develop a field of critical and interdisciplinary analysis in the realm of public policies, focusing on the urban context as a space for innovative responses to contemporary challenges in cities. Within the framework of Global Agendas and Sustainable Development Goals, we seek to deepen the implementation of the Right to the City in various contexts, assuming it is a guiding concept for environmental, social, and spatial justice. Our ultimate goal is the design and application of instruments and methodologies that contribute to addressing and transforming local realities, based on democratic values and the social rights inherent to cities. |
Dr Mirela Fiori Email: mirelafiori@uoc.edu Email: gfauth@uoc.edu Dr Pep Vivas Email: pvivasi@uoc.edu |
NODES |
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The impact of transport policies Transport systems have underpinned major social and economic transformations in recent centuries. Improvements in infrastructure, technological development, organizational changes, and public policies are just a few of them. This research proposal covers all the studies that seek to examine in further depth the impact of transport policies on various social and economic areas, including economic development, demography, market integration, the reduction of inequalities, health and quality of life, among others. |
Email: ealvarezp@uoc.edu |
SUMAT |