Professor Patrick Dumont
Research interests
- Political elites
- Executive-legislative relations
- Parties and party systems
- Coalition theory
- Elections, Voting Advice Applications
Biography
Patrick Dumont studied political science at the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium and the Université de Genève (PhD) in Switzerland. Before becoming Professor at the ANU in 2017, he held a position at the Université du Luxembourg. He was visiting fellow at the Jack W. Peltason Centre for the Study of Democracy University of California, Irvine during the 2014-2015 academic year. He also came as visiting fellow at the ANU in July-August 2011.
He is the co-founder of the Selection and Deselection of Political Elites (SEDEPE) international network with Keith Dowding, co-convenor of the Standing Group on Elites and Political Leadership of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) with Matthew Kerby, and chair of the Research Committee on 'Elites' of the International Political Science Association (IPSA).
Patrick Dumont is the co-editor of the Routledge Research on Social and Political Elites book series. From 2003 to 2009, he was member of the executive board of the ABSP-CF (Political science Association – French-speaking Belgium) and from 2011 to 2017 he was a member of the editorial board of the Revue Internationale de Politique Comparée.
Researcher's projects
- New projects from 2021 onwards:
ARC Discovery Project "Promissory Democratic Representation: Campaign Promises in Australia"; Principal Investigator with Prof. Lisa Waller (RMIT); lead Principal Investigator Prof. Robert Thomson Monash University
European Research Council project "How politicians evaluate public opinion (POLEVPOP)"; Australian team Principal Investigator with Drs Annika Werner and Marija Taflaga; lead Principal Investigator (grant awarded to) Prof. Stefaan Walgrave University of Antwerp (Belgium)
Australian Research Data Commons project "Australian and New Zealand Leaders, Elections and Democracy Data Asset"; partner; lead Principal Investigator Dr Steve McEachern Director of the Australian Data Archive at the ANU
- Political elites:
This research interest comes under the rubric of SEDEPE, and consists in collecting individual-level data on ministerial careers in a wide number of countries, understanding the modes of selection of cabinet ministers as well as the reasons why they resign, analysing their backgrounds and career paths with appropriate methods. Several international journal articles, book chapters and two dedicated edited books have by now resulted from this line of research (The Selection of Ministers in Europe, 2008, paperback 2016; The Selection of Ministers around the World, 2015, paperback 2016).
I am also interested in other political and social elites, their careers, their interconnections, and their relations with voters, institutions and policy. The coordination of research efforts through the organisation of research activities (panels, workshops) in this field at international conferences is facilitated by the Standing Group on Elites and Political Leadership of the ECPR, the Research Committee on Elites of the IPSA; these allow for interesting exchanges and synergies that often lead to publication outputs in the Routledge Research in Political and Social Elites book series.
- Coalition studies:
This is a research agenda that has developed throughout the years, originally covering Western Europe where coalition governments are the rule rather than the exception. It includes the study of cabinet formation processes, cabinet composition, coalition agreements, quantitative and qualitative portfolio allocation, government duration, using a variety of game theoretical models (and interest for voting power indices) as well as combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods (for a book-length contribution, see Puzzles of Government Formation: Coalition Theory and Deviant Cases, 2011). This long-standing interest in coalition studies has led and to a number of pieces on the state of the art – some of which are currently in production. A co-edited volume on new developments on cabinet coalition research is due to 2021.
These projects extend to the fields of party competition, decision-making in governments, cabinet internal stability, policymaking and more broadly political representation and accountability in coalition as well as in single-party government settings. At the ANU this agenda will open up to the empirical study of governments in the Asia-Pacific region, the electoral connection (electoral responsiveness and accountability, coalition coalition voting, the ‘pledges’ approach), as well as the use of experimental methods.
- European integration, Europeanization and Small States studies:
A line of research dedicated to European integration and the Europeanization of EU member states’ polities, policies and politics, with several journal articles, book chapters and an edited book (European Integration and Consensus Politics in the Low Countries, 2015, paperback 2016).
Country-case expertise for Belgium and Luxembourg (disseminated in international journal articles, edited volumes in the context of numerous international research projects and books/reports) has extended to an interest for the politics of under-studied, small countries, culminating with a co-edited volume on party politics in European small and micro-states due to 2021 at Routledge.
- Elections: Electoral systems and Voting Advice Applications (see also Smartvote Australia)
Aside from the obvious links with the preceding research agendas, as a comparative institutions scholar I am also interested in electoral systems and their consequences. In particular, I aim to carry on research projects on topics I contributed to in the past, such as compulsory voting and preferential vote systems.
In addition, the development of democratic innovations and the concomitant rise of politics online have led to the burgeoning of what has been termed Voting Advice Applications. These are platforms that help citizens match their own policy preferences with those of candidates and parties. These tools raise a number of important questions for political scientists and provide them with interesting data about voters and the political supply. I was PI for the Smartvote Australia project (http://smartvote.org.au) in partnership with the Sydney Morning Herald/The Age for the 2019 federal elections and with the Canberra Times for the 2020 ACT Legislative Assembly election. This strand of research has led to several international journal articles, book chapters, a special issue of the Revue Internationale de Politique Comparée (2015) and a large social impact during elections campaigns judging by the number of VAA users and pieces in the media.
Available student projects
I am available for PhD and honours students wishing to engage in comparative politics projects, especially on topics related to my research interests as stated above (and complements on my Researchgate page, see link below).
Current student projects
Past students (co)-supervision
Ben Eliasaf (Australian National University) A Comparative Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Formation and Successes of National Green Parties
Dan Schmit (University of Luxembourg) The intra-party effects of open-list design
Publications
- Thomson, R & Dumont, P 2021, 'A Comparison of Two Views on the European Commission: Engine of Integration and Conduit of National Interests', Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 136-154.
- De Winter, L & Dumont, P 2021, 'Coalition formation in Belgium: From exceptional complexity to regime breakdown?', in Didier Caluwaerts and Min Reuchamps (ed.), Belgium Exceptionalism: Belgian Politics from Realism to Surrealism, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, United Kingdom, pp. 108-122.
- Schmit, D, Kies, R & Dumont, P 2021, 'Luxembourg: Political Development and Data for 2020', European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 256-263.
- Schmit, D, Kies, R & Dumont, P 2020, 'Luxembourg: Political developments and data in 2020', European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 245-253.
- Kies, R, Dumont, P & Schmit, D 2019, 'Luxembourg: Political developments and data in 2018', European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 184-193.
- Snagovsky, F & Dumont, P 2019, Are independents part of a 'green-left' conspiracy? New research finds they are more the 'sensible centre', pp. online.
- Kenny, M, Taflaga, M, Peatling, S et al 2019, Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny: Voter fatigue and the fight to the finish line.
- Dumont, P, Kies, R & schmit, D 2019, 'Luxembourg: The permanent downfall of Luxembourg's dominant party?', in L De Sio, M N Franklin, L Russo (ed.), The European Parliament Elections of 2019, Luiss University Press, Romania, pp. 209-214.
- Dumont, P & Kies, R 2017, 'Luxembourg', European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook, vol. 56, no. 1, pp. 185-191.
- Dumont, P, Kies, R & Poirier, P 2016, 'Luxembourg', in Donatella M. Viola (ed.), Routledge Handbook of European Elections, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon., pp. 189-210pp.
- Vollaard, H, Beyers, J & Dumont, P, eds, 2015, European Integration and Consensus Politics in the Low Countries, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon..
- Dumont, P, Timmermans, A & Moury, C 2015, 'Coping with domestic and European complexity: How consensus politics is maintained in the Low Countries' governments', in Hans Vollaard, Jan Beyers and Patrick Dumont (ed.), European Integration and Consensus Politics in the Low Countries, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon., pp. 24-47pp.
- Dumont, P & Kies, R 2012, 'Smartvote.lu: Usage and impact of the first VAA in Luxembourg', International Journal of Electronic Governance, vol. 5, no. 3/4, pp. 388-410pp.
- Back, H, Debus, M & Dumont, P 2011, 'Who gets what in coalition governments? Predictors of portfolio allocation in parliamentary democracies', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 441-478pp.
- Dumont, P, Kies, R & Poirier, P 2011, 'Luxembourg', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 50, no. 7-8, pp. 1058-1064pp.
- Rihoux, B, Dumont, P, De Winter, L et al. 2011, 'Belgium', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 50, no. 7-8, pp. 913-921pp.
- Andeweg, R, De Winter, L & Dumont, P, eds, 2011, Puzzles of government formation: Coalition theory and deviant cases, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon..
- Dumont, P, De Winter, L & Andeweg, R 2011, 'From coalition theory to coalition puzzles', in Rudy B. Andeweg, Lieven De Winter and Patrick Dumont. (ed.), Puzzles of Government Formation: Coalition Theory and Deviant Cases, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon., pp. 1-23.
- Dumont, P 2011, 'The Belgian "Rainbow Coalition": Optical illusion or mechanical phenomenon?', in Rudy B. Andeweg, Lieven De Winter and Patrick Dumont. (ed.), Puzzles of Government Formation: Coalition Theory and Deviant Cases, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon., pp. 165-189PP.
- Dumont, P & Caulier, J 2010, 'Measuring one-party dominance with voting power indices', in Francoise Boucek, Matthijs Bogaards (ed.), Dominant Political Parties and Democracy: Concepts, Measures, Cases and Comparisons, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, New York, USA., pp. 45-59pp.
- Rihoux, B, Dumont, P, De Winter, L et al. 2010, 'Belgium', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 49, no. 7-8, pp. 899-908pp.
- Dumont, P, Kies, R & Poirier, P 2010, 'Luxembourg', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 49, no. 7-8, pp. 1076-1088pp.
- Dumont, P 2009, 'Belgium: One Foot in the Grave? [Belgien - Mit einem Bein im Grab?]', Geographische Raudschau, vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 12-19pp.
- Dumont, P, Kies, R & Poirier, P 2009, 'Luxembourg', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 48, no. 7-8, pp. 1037-1046pp.
- Back, H, Dumont, P, Meier, H et al 2009, 'Does European Integration Lead to a 'Presidentialization' of Executive Politics?: Ministerial Selection in Swedish postwar Cabinets', European Union Politics, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 226-252pp.
- Rihoux, B, Dumont, P, De Winter, L et al. 2009, 'Belgium', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 48, no. 7-8, pp. 903-912pp.
- Dowding, Keith & Dumont, Patrick, eds, 2009, The Selection of Ministers in Europe: Hiring and Firing, Routledge, London.
- Rihoux, B, Dumont, P, De Winter, L et al. 2008, 'Belgium', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 47, no. 7-8, pp. 917-928pp.
- Back, H & Dumont, P 2008, 'Making the first move: A two-stage analysis of the role of formateurs in parliamentary government formation', Public Choice, vol. 135, no. 3-4, pp. 353-373pp.
- Dumont, P, Fiers, S & Dandoy, R 2008, 'Belgium: Ups and downs of ministerial careers in a partitocratic federal state', in Keith Dowding and Patrick Dumont (ed.), The Selection of Ministers in Europe: Hiring and Firing, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, London, pp. 125-146pp.
- Dumont, P, Kies, R & Poirier, P 2008, 'Luxembourg', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 47, no. 7-8, pp. 1060-1070pp.
- Rihoux, B, De Winter, L, Dumont, P et al. 2007, 'Belgium', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 46, no. 7-8, pp. 891-900pp.
- Dumont, P & Poirier, P 2007, 'Luxembourg', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 46, no. 7-8, pp. 1032-1037pp.
- Dumont, P & Poirier, P 2006, 'Luxembourg', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 45, no. 7-8, pp. 1182-1197pp.
- De Winter, L & Dumont, P 2006, 'Belgium', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 45, no. 7-8, pp. 1055-1064pp.
- Walgrave, S, Varone, F & Dumont, P 2006, 'Policy with or without parties? A comparative analysis of policy priorities and policy change in Belgium, 1991 to 2000', Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 1021-1038pp.
- Dumont, P & Back, H 2006, 'Why so few, and why so late? Green parties and the question of governmental participation', European Journal of Political Research, vol. 45, no. SUPPL. 1, pp. S35-S67pp.
- Dumont, P & De Winter, L 2006, 'Parties into government: Still many puzzles', in Richard S. Katz & William Crotty (ed.), Handbook of Party Politics, SAGE Publications, London, UK., pp. 175-188pp.
- Dumont, P & Varone, F 2006, 'Delegation and accountability in parliamentary democracies: Smallness, proximity and short cuts', in Fabrizio Gilardi, Dietmar Braun (ed.), Delegation in Contemporary Democracies, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon., pp. 52-76pp.
- Dumont, P & De Winter, L 2003, 'Belgium: Delegation and Accountability under Partitocratic Rule', in K Strom, W.C. Muller, T Bergman (ed.), Delegation and Accountability in Parliamentary Democracies, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 253-280pp.
- Dumont, P & De Winter, L 2003, 'Luxembourg: A Case of More 'Direct' Delegation and Accountability', in K Strom, W.C. Muller, T Bergman (ed.), Delegation and Accountability in Parliamentary Democracies, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 474-497pp.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- How politicians evaluate public opinion (Primary Investigator)
- Promissory Democratic Representation: Campaign Promises in Australia (Secondary Investigator)