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Alan Renwick's research focuses on the mechanisms through which citizens can engage in formal democratic politics and policy-making, particularly elections, referendums, and citizens' assemblies.

Democracy in the UK after Brexit

Alan is leading the Unit's ESRC-funded project on Democracy in the UK after Brexit, which is employing large-scale surveys and running a citizens' assembly to explore how people in the UK think of democracy and their broadÌýconceptions of democracy relate to their more specific preferences on how democratic institutions should operate.Ìý

Elections and Referendums

Much of Alan's current research focuses on the conduct of elections and referendums. Between 2019 and 2021, he chairedÌýtheÌýWorking Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland, which examinedÌýhow any future referendums on the unification question in Ireland would best be designed and conducted. In 2019, heÌýcompleted a project looking at ways of improving the quality of the information and discussion during election and referendum campaigns. This work fed directly into the 2018 report of the Independent Commission on Referendums.

Alan is one of the world's leading experts on processes ofÌýelectoral reform: he has written two major academic books on the subject and a third book aimed for a general audience. He has also contributed to public debates in the UK and elsewhere. His most recent research focuses in particular on the 'personalisation' of European electoral systems.

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Alan is a leading voice in debates about the development of more deliberative approaches to democracy, particularly through citizens' assemblies. Besides the current project on Democracy in the UK after Brexit, with its Citizens' Assembly on Democracy in the UK, he led the project to run a Citizens' Assembly on BrexitÌýin September 2017, which gave unique insights into what kind of Brexit members of the public preferred once they had had the chance to learn and think in depth about the options. This project was part of the ESRC-funded initiative. Before that, he was part of the Democracy Matters project, and he has examined in depth the idea of establishing aÌýconstitutional conventionÌýto consider issues of constitutional and democratic reform in the UK.Ìý

Books:

• Ìý(Bristol University Press, 2021), co-authored withÌýNicole Curato, David Farrell, Brigitte Geissel, Kimmo Grönlund, Patricia Mockler, Jean-Benoit Pilet, Jonathan Rose, Maija Setälä and Jane Suiter.
• (Oxford University Press, 2016), co-authored with Jean-Benoit Pilet.
• (Biteback, 2011).
• (Cambridge University Press, 2011).

Reports and briefing papers:

• The Future of Democracy in the UK: Public Attitudes and Policy Responses: Final Report of the Democracy in the UK after Brexit ProjectÌý(Constitution Unit, 2023), with Ben Lauderdale and Meg Russell.
• Perspectives on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement: Examining Diverse Views, 1998–2023 (Constitution Unit, 2023), with Conor J. Kelly.
• Public Preferences for Integrity and Accountability in Politics: Results of a Second Survey of the UK Population: Third Report of the Democracy in the UK after Brexit Project (Constitution Unit, 2023),ÌýwithÌýBen Lauderdale, Meg Russell, and James Cleaver.
• Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Democracy in the UK: Second Report of the Democracy in the UK after Brexit ProjectÌý(Constitution Unit, 2022), withÌýKaela Scott, Meg Russell, James Cleaver, and Frances Osborne.
• What Kind of Democracy Do People Want? Results of a Survey of the UK Population: First Report of the Democracy in the UK after Brexit ProjectÌý(Constitution Unit, 2022), withÌýBen Lauderdale, Meg Russell, and James Cleaver.
• Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland FinalÌýReport (Constitution Unit, 2021), with Oran Doyle, John Garry, Paul Gillespie, Cathy Gormley Heenan, Katy Hayward, Robert Hazell, David Kenny, Christopher McCrudden, Brendan O'Leary, Etain Tannam, and Alan Whysall. An interim version of this report was published in November 2020 and is accessible via the same link.
• Doing Democracy Better: Improving Discourse During Elections and Referendum Campaigns (Constitution Unit, 2019), with Michela Palese.
• The Mechanics of a Further Referendum on Brexit (Constitution Unit, 2018), with Jess Sargeant and Meg Russell.
• Report of the Independent Commission on Referendums (Constitution Unit, 2018).
• A Considered Public Voice on Brexit: The Report of the Citizens' Assembly on Brexit (Constitution Unit, 2017), with Sarah Allan, Will Jennings, Rebecca McKee, Meg Russell, and Graham Smith.
• Blueprint for a UK Constitutional Convention (Constitution Unit, 2017), with Robert Hazell.
• The Process of Brexit (UCL European Institute and Constitution Unit, 2017).
• (Constitution Society, 2014).
• (Political Studies Association, 2011).
• (Political Studies Association, 2011).

Journal articles:

• ''.ÌýIrish Political Studies, early view, 8 December 2022. Co-authored with Nadia Dobrianska, Conor J. Kelly, and Charlotte Kincaid.
• ''.ÌýRepresentationÌý58, no. 2 (2022), 191–210. Co-authored with Jack Vowles.
• '',ÌýPolitical Quarterly 92, no. 4 (2021), 682–90. Co-authored with Conor Kelly.
• ''. Political InsightÌý12, no. 2 (2021), 16–19.ÌýCo-authored with Katy Hayward.Ìý
• ''ÌýRepresentation 56, no. 4 (2020), 521­–37. Co-authored with Michela Palese and Jess Sargeant.
• ''ÌýPolitical Insight 10, no. 2 (May 2019), 10­–13. Co-authored with Michela Palese.
• ''. Political Quarterly 89, no. 4 (October–December 2018), 649–58. Co-authored with Sarah Allan, Will Jennings, Rebecca McKee, Meg Russell, and Graham Smith.
• ''ÌýPolitical Quarterly 89, no. 4 (October–December 2018), 545–52. Co-authored withÌýMichela Palese and Jess Sargeant.
• ''.ÌýActa PoliticaÌý53, no. 4 (2018) pp. 590–611. Co-authored with Stephen Fisher.
• ''.Ìý Contemporary Politics 24, no. 2, 210–32 (2018). Co-authored with Brenton Prosser, Matthew Flinders, Will Jennings, Alan Renwick, Paolo Spada, Gerry Stoker, and Katie Ghose.
• ''.Ìý Election Law Journal 16, no. 3 (September 2017), 341–8.
• ''.Ìý Policy & Politics 45, no. 2 (April 2017), 251–69. ÌýCo-authored with Brenton, Prosser, Arianna Giovannini, Mark Sandford, Matthew Flinders, Will Jennings, Graham Smith, Paolo Spada, Gerry Stoker, and Katie Ghose. Ìý
• ''ÌýPolitical Insight,ÌýVolume 6,ÌýÌýIssue 2 (September 2015)Ìý8–11
• ''ÌýPolitical Quarterly 85, no. 3 (July-September 2014), 368–72.
• 'ÌýCo-authored with Michael Lamb, Electoral Studies 32, no. 2 (June 2013), 294–304.
• 'ÌýCo-authored with Samantha Laycock, Daniel Stevens, and Jack Vowles, Electoral Studies 32, no. 2 (June 2013), 211–14.
• ' Osteuropa 62, no. 5 (2012), 3–17.
• ''. West European Politics 34, no. 3 (May 2011), 456–77. Download the article's supplimentary material (pdf).
• ''. East European Politics and Societies 25, no. 2 (May 2011), 296–317.
• ''. with Michael Lamb and Berna Numan. Political Quarterly 82, no. 1 (January-March 2011), 32–41.
• ' Representation 45, no. 4 (November 2009), 357–67.
• ''. Government & Opposition 44, no. 4 (October 2009), 366–84.
• ' with Chris Hanretty and David Hine, Electoral Studies 28, no. 3 (September 2009), 437–47.
• ''ÌýPolitical Science 59, no. 1 (June 2007), 7–22.
• ''. East European Politics and SocietiesÌý20, no. 2 (spring 2006), 286–318.
• ''. Democratization 13, no. 1 (February 2006), 36–57.
• ' Europe-Asia Studies 57, no. 7 (November 2005), 995–1019.

Chapters in edited volumes:

• 'The Rules of Referendums', co-authored with Jess Sargeant. In Julie Smith (ed.), . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, pp. 67–90.
• 'Misinformation in Referendums: Lessons from Anglophone Democracies', co-authored with Michela Palese. In ÌýSandrine Baume, Véronique Boillet, Vincent Martenet (eds.), . London: Routledge, 2021.
• 'Electoral Systems', co-authored with Jean-Benoit Pilet. In Rory Costello and Neil Robinson (eds.), . Oxford: Oxford University Press,Ìý2020.
• 'The Surprise of June 2016: How Public Opinion Changes during Referendum Campaigns'. In Philip CowleyÌýand Robert FordÌý(eds.), . London: Biteback, 2019, pp. 51–55.
• 'Electoral System Change'. In Erik S. Herron et al. (eds.), . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 113–32.
• 'Personalization and Electoral Systems', co-authored with Jean-Benoit Pilet. In William P. Cross, Richard S. Katz, and Scott Pruysers (eds.), . London: ECPR Press/Rowman & Littlefield International, 2018.
• 'Public Debate'.ÌýIn Anand Menon (ed.), .ÌýLondon: Political Studies Association and UK in a Changing Europe, 2017, pp. 10–11.
• 'The Performance of the Electoral System'.ÌýIn Einar Thorsen, Dan Jackson, Darren Lilleker (eds.), .ÌýBournemouth: Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture, and Community, Bournemouth University, 2017, p. 12.
• 'Referendums'.ÌýIn Kai Arzheimer, Jocelyn Evans, and Michael Lewis-Beck (eds.), .ÌýLondon: Sage, 2017, pp. 433–58.
• 'Voting Behaviour and Electoral Outcomes'.ÌýIn Richard Heffernan, Colin Hay, Meg Russell, and Philip Cowley (eds.),Ìý.ÌýLondon: Palgrave, 2016, pp. 39–56.Ìý
• 'Calming the Storm: Fighting Falsehoods, Fig Leaves and Fairy Tales', co-authored with Matthew Flinders and Will Jennings. In Daniel Jackson, Einar Thorsen, and Dominic Wring (eds.), . London: Political Studies Association, 2016, p. 31.
• ''.ÌýIn Philip Cowley and Robert Ford (eds.), Sex, Lies and the Ballot Box. London: Biteback, 2014, pp. 79–84.
• ''.ÌýIn Stein Rokkan, Citizens, Elections, Parties: Approaches to the Comparative Study of the Processes of Development. Colchester: ECPR Press, 2009, pp. i–xix. First edition published by Universitetsforlaget, Oslo, 1970.
• ''.ÌýIn András Bozóki (ed.), The Roundtable Talks of 1989: The Genesis of Hungarian Democracy. Budapest: Central European University Press, 2002, pp. 191–210.
• '', co-authored with Gábor Tóka. In Roger Jowell et al., British-and European-Social Attitudes: The 15th Report: How Britain Differs. Aldershot: Ashgate, 1998, pp. 149–171.