Staff Profile

Introduction

Alistair Clark is Professor of Political Science. His research interests revolve around electoral integrity and administration, standards in public life, the quality of democracy, political parties and urban/local politics. Related interests include: small party challenges; devolved and British party politics; and electoral systems. Alistair Clark’s doctoral research, entitled ‘Local Parties, Participation and Campaigning in Post-Devolution Scotland’, won the 2007 Political Studies Association Arthur McDougall Prize for Elections, Electoral Systems and Representation. His research has been funded by the ESRC, the British Academy, the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.

Prof. Clark has given expert evidence to the Scottish parliament, House of Commons and House of Lords and regularly engages with practitioners and policymakers. He has served as advisor to the Scottish Parliament's Finance and Constitution Committee in its scrutiny of the Referendums (Scotland) Bill 2019, and the House of Commons Standards Committee in its 2021 review of the MPs' Code of Conduct. He is also regularly invited to comment on political matters in the UK and international media. He has provided expert analysis on general election results for the BBC World Service for the 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections. 

Qualifications

PG Certificate in Higher Education Teaching (PGCHET) (2009) Queen’s University Belfast

PhD (2006) Political Studies, University of Aberdeen

MRes (2003) Political Research, University of Aberdeen

MA (Hons) (2001) Politics and International Relations (First Class), University of Aberdeen

Previous positions

2007-2011: Lecturer in Political Science and Research Methods, School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, Queen’s University Belfast.

2005-2007: Research Fellow, Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham.

2015: Visiting Professor, Dept. of Political Science, LUISS Guido Carli University, Rome, Italy

2017-2019: House of Commons/Political Studies Association Parliamentary Fellowship  

Honours and Awards

Nominated (2010) for the Political Studies Association of Ireland Teaching and Learning Prize 

Political Studies Association (2007) Arthur McDougall Prize for the best dissertation in Elections, Electoral Systems and Representation.

Research interests

Prof. Alistair Clark’s research interests revolve around electoral integrity, standards in public life, the quality of democracy, political parties, and urban/local politics. Related interests include: small party challenges; devolved and British party politics; and voting behaviour and electoral systems. His research has been funded by the ESRC, the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.   

Current work

Prof. Clark’s research has focused around political parties and electoral politics, at the local and regional level and also nationally. He is the author of Political Parties in the UK, 2nd edition published by Palgrave in 2018. His current work revolves around three strands.

Firstly, although often held up as a model of electoral integrity, recent controversies in Britain have suggested that this perception may not be wholly justified. Incidents casting doubt on the integrity of the electoral process have been evident across the UK, with one election court judge even likening the conduct and administration of postal voting in local elections to that of ‘a Banana republic’. The integrity of the electoral process can often be attributed in the first instance to issues around electoral administration. This research therefore assesses electoral integrity across Britain, examines the numerous challenges facing electoral administrators and highlights the potential consequences of these challenges for both public policy and electoral integrity in Britain and beyond. More details can be found at: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/social-science/research/#casestudies 

Secondly, since devolution in 1999, the three main British parties – Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats – have produced different versions of their UK general election manifesto for Scotland, Wales and Britain more generally. With Dr. Lynn Bennie (Aberdeen), the research assesses how these different manifestos differ, asking what such intra-party variation means for party strategies and their abilities to adapt to constitutional change. Whether these circumstances challenge the idea of manifestos granting parties ‘mandates’ across the UK is also examined. Initial analyses suggest that party manifestos serve a broader range of purposes under the UK’s multi-level polity than hitherto recognised.

Thirdly, minor parties have been proving attractive options for increasing numbers of voters in many different countries. Alistair Clark’s research has examined the rise and relevance of minor parties in both British and Irish politics leading to a range of publications on these themes. With Dr. Liam Weeks (Cork/Macquarie, Australia), research examined the role and party system effects of minor parties in the aftermath of Ireland’s 2011 ‘earthquake’ elections. This followed up a co-edited previous special issue of Irish Political Studies (2010) on these themes and resulted in a co-edited volume Radical or Redundant: Minor Parties in Irish Politics published in late 2012.                 

Future research

Developing and continuing interests in comparative electoral integrity, public standards and the quality of democracy, urban/local politics and elections, and territorial politics.      

Esteem Indicators

Co-Editor, Parliamentary Affairs, 2022-

Co-Editor, European Consortium for Political Research Political Data Yearbook, 2018-2022

Trustee & Executive Member, UK Political Studies Association 2012-2016; 2022-  

Deputy Editor, British Journal of Politics and International Relations 2009-2015

Political Studies Association (2007) Arthur McDougall Prize for the best dissertation in Elections, Electoral Systems and Representation.

UNDERGRADUATE

POL3092 Political Parties and Elections in the UK (Module Leader)

POL3046/3047 Dissertation / Project

POL1047 Power, Participation and Democracy: Comparative Perspectives (Module Leader)

POL3011 Parliamentary Studies

POL3132 Public Policy: Theories, Cases, Skills (Module Leader)

• Clark A. The Public Funding of Election Administration: Evidence from a British General Election. Political Studies Review 2023, epub ahead of print.
• Clark A, Middleton A. United Kingdom: Diversity amid the Cinderella elections?. In: Gendzwill A; Kjaer U; Steyvers K, ed. Routledge Handbook on Local Elections and Voting in Europe. London: Routledge, 2022, pp.84-94.
• Clark A. Annex 5: Code of Conduct Survey Report. In: Committee on Standards, ed. Review of the Code of Conduct: proposals for consultation, Fourth Report of Session 2021–22. London: House of Commons HC270, 2021, pp.83-95.
• Clark A, Meijers M, Mustillo T. Political Data and Developments in 2020: Politics During a Global Pandemic. European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 2021, Epub ahead of print.
• Clark A, James TS. Electoral Administration and the Problem of Poll Worker Recruitment: Who Volunteers, and Why?. Public Policy and Administration 2021, (ePub ahead of Print).
• James TS, Clark A. Delivering electoral integrity under pressure: local government, electoral administration, and the 2016 Brexit referendum. Local Government Studies 2021, 47(2), 186-207.
• Clark A. The Effects of Electoral Reform on Party Campaigns, Voters and Party Systems at the Local Level: From Single Member Plurality to the Single Transferable Vote in Scotland. Local Government Studies 2021, 47(1), 79-99.
• Bennie L, Clark A. Labour Party Adaptation to Multilevel Politics: Evidence from British General Election Manifestos. British Politics 2020, 15(4), 411-432.
• Birch S, Buril F, Cheeseman N, Clark A, Darnolf S, Dodsworth S, Garber L, Gutierrez-Romero R, Hollstein T, James TS, Mohan V, Sawyer K. How to Hold Elections Safely and Democratically During the COVID-19 Pandemic. London: British Academy, 2020. Shape the Future.
• Clark A. Smaller Parties. In: Keating,M, ed. Oxford Handbook of Scottish Politics. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2020, pp.301-319.
• Clark A. More than IndyRef2? The Referendums (Scotland) Act 2020. The Political Quarterly 2020, 91(2), 467-472.
• James TS, Clark A. Electoral integrity, voter fraud and voter ID in polling stations: lessons from English local elections. Policy Studies 2020, 41(2-3), 190-209.
• Clark A, Meijers MJ. Political Data in 2018: Introducing the 2018 Political Data Yearbook. European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 2019, 58(1), 3-11.
• Clark A. The Cost of Democracy: The Determinants of Spending on the Public Administration of Elections. International Political Science Review 2019, 40(3), 354-369.
• Bagenholm A, Clark A. Political Data in 2017. European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 2018, 57(1), 3-13.
• Clark A. Political Parties in the UK (Second Edition). Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
• Clark A, Bennie L. Parties, mandates and multilevel politics: Subnational variation in British general election manifestos. Party Politics 2018, 24(3), 253-264.
• Clark A. Changing the Rules of the Game? Continuity and Change in the UK Party System. In: K. Detterbeck & K. Stolz, ed. The End of Duopoly? The Transformation of the British Party System. Augsburg, Germany: Wissner Verlag, 2018, pp.56-75.
• Clark A. The relationship between political parties and their regulators. Party Politics 2017, 23(6), 646-656.
• Clark A. Identifying the determinants of electoral integrity and administration in advanced democracies: the case of Britain. European Political Science Review 2017, 9(3), 471-492.
• Clark A, James TS. Poll Workers. In: Norris, P; Nai, A, ed. Election Watchdogs: Transparency, Accountability and Integrity. New York, NY, USA: Oxford University Press, 2017, pp.144-166.
• Clark A, Martin T. An Audit of Transferable Skills Teaching in UK Politics Departments. European Political Science 2016, 15(3), 389-403.
• Clark A. Public Administration and the Integrity of the Electoral Process in British Elections. Public Administration 2015, 93(1), 86-102.
• Clark A. Investing in Electoral Management. In: P. Norris, R. Frank & F. Martinez I Coma, ed. Advancing Electoral Integrity. New York, USA: Oxford University Press, 2014, pp.165-188.
• Clark A. Second Time Lucky? The Continuing Adaptation of Voters and Parties to the Single Transferable Vote in Scotland. Representation 2013, 49(1), 55-68.
• Clark A. Radical, Redundant or Relevant? Minor Parties in Comparative and Systemic Perspective. In: Weeks, L., Clark, A, ed. Radical or Redundant? Minor Parties in Irish Politics. Dublin: History Press, 2012, pp.235-250.
• Weeks L, Clark A, ed. Radical or Redundant? Minor Parties in Irish Politics. Dublin: History Press, 2012.
• Clark A. Party Organisation and Concurrent Multi-Level Local Campaigning: The 2007 Scottish Elections under MMP and STV. Party Politics 2012, 18(4), 603-622.
• Clark A, Krebs TB. Elections and Policy Responsiveness. In: Mossberger, K., Clarke, S., John, P, ed. Oxford Handbook of Urban Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012, pp.87-113.
• Clark A, Wilford R. Political Institutions, Engagement and Outreach: The Case of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Parliamentary Affairs 2012, 65(2), 380-403.
• Clark A. Political Parties in the UK. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan, 2012.
• Clark A. Embedding Transferable Skills and Enhancing Student Learning in a Political Science Research Methods Module: Evidence from the UK. PS: Political Science and Politics 2011, 44(1), 135-139.
• Clark A. Breaking the Mould or Fiddling at the Edges? Ireland’s Minor Parties in Comparative and Systemic Perspective. Irish Political Studies 2010, 25(4), 661-680.
• Weeks L, Clark A, ed. 'Minor Parties in Irish Political Life', Special Issue of Irish Political Studies. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2010.
• Denver D, Clark A, Bennie L. Voter Reactions to a Preferential Ballot: The 2007 Scottish Local Elections. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties 2009, 19(3), 265-282.
• Copus C, Clark A, Reynaert H, Steyvers K. Minor Party and Independent Politics Beyond the Mainstream: Fluctuating Fortunes but a Permanent Presence. Parliamentary Affairs 2009, 62(1), 4-18.
• Clark A, Bennie L. Strategic Actors or Muddling Through? Political Parties, Local Campaigning and the Single Transferable Vote. Representation 2008, 44(4), 327-340.
• Clark A, Bottom K, Copus C. More Similar Than They’d Like to Admit? Ideology, Policy and Populism in the Trajectories of the British National Party and Respect. British Politics 2008, 3(4), 511-534.
• Bennie L, Clark A. The Transformation of Local Politics? STV and the 2007 Scottish Local Government Elections. Representation 2008, 44(3), 225-238.
• Clark A, Bennie L. Electoral Reform and Party Adaptation: The Introduction of the Single Transferable Vote in Scotland. Political Quarterly 2008, 79(2), 241-251.
• Copus C, Clark A, Bottom K. Multi-Party Politics in England? Small Parties, Independents and Political Associations in English Local Politics. In: Reiser, M., Holtmann, E, ed. Farewell to the Party Model? Independent Local Lists in Eastern and Western European Countries. Wiesbaden, Germany: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, 2008, pp.253-276.
• Clark A. Mass, Cadre or Franchise Parties? Assessing Scotland’s Local Party Organisations. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties 2008, 18(1), 27-51.
• Clark A. Community Politics? Grassroots Liberal Democrats and the 2003 Scottish Parliament Elections. British Journal of Politics and International Relations 2007, 9(4), 696-712.
• Clark A. Party Change Necessary: The Challenges Posed by the Conduct of British Elections. Local Government Studies 2007, 33(1), 137-145.
• Clark A. ‘Post-modern’ Campaigning? Constituency Party Activities in the 2003 Scottish Parliament Elections. Scottish Affairs 2006, (55), 87-106.
• Clark A. Between Iraq and a Hard Place?: The Scottish Local Government Elections of 2003. Representation 2005, 41(1), 42-51.
• Clark A. The Continued Relevance of Local Parties in Representative Democracies. Politics 2004, 24(1), 35-45.
• Bennie L, Clark A. Towards Moderate Pluralism: Scotland’s Post-Devolution Party System, 1999-2002. In: Rallings, C., Scully, R., Tonge, J., Webb, P, ed. British Elections and Parties Review. London: Routledge, 2003, pp.134-155.