Political knowledge about electoral rules: Comparing mixed member proportional systems in Germany and New Zealand

Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral systems are considered by some to be “the best of both worlds” because they combine single member district representation with proportional outcomes. Critics, however, maintain that such systems cause voter confusion leading some voters to cast misinformed votes. Survey data from Germany and New Zealand are used to investigate voter's political knowledge of the electoral system and their voting behavior. The findings suggest that knowledge about the electoral system is similar in New Zealand and in Germany. Although some may very well find the system complex, there is no evidence to suggest that a lack of knowledge about the electoral system influences voting behavior. The results undermine the claims made by skeptics who fear that misunderstanding threatens the legitimacy of electoral outcomes.     

Fibre mapping--a case study.

Fibre mapping, more commonly known as one-to-one taping, was developed in Germany approximately twenty years ago. The technique facilitates the distribution of fibres on a surface to be recorded. The impact of this technique on the investigation of serious crime has been reported in the European Fibre Group on several occasions. This paper represents a case study of the application of the technique. It is believed to be the first time that this technique has been successfully applied in the United Kingdom.     

Technologizing office work

His research interests include the social and political determinants of postwar inflation, comparative labor market policies, and labor relations in Canada.