The Role of Institutions: Theoretical and Empirical Insights

Abstract

This panel includes a series of studies creating new knowledge on how institutions shape the political sphere. By emphasizing theoretical and methodological concerns, the research presented in this panel promises to enhance our understanding of the causal mechanisms underlying the impact of political institutions on various dimensions of policies and politics. The contributions engage with two sets of dependent variables: Firstly, the assigned papers deal with the behavior of party officials. Do they act strategically depending on the institutional setting they face? Secondly, the studies in this panel highlight the decisiveness of the institutional context for citizens’ policy opinions. To what extend do voters update their support for specific policies or parties as a consequence of changing institutional contexts and environments?