The Dynamics of Referendum Campaigns : An International Perspective

The Dynamics of Referendum Campaigns argues for the importance of campaigns in referendums and demonstrates their significant role in changing in public opinion, in bringing about political participation, and in underpinning the voters' choice of to whether say Yes or No. Given the characteristics of referendums, we can often expect a greater degree of volatility and uncertainty in vote preferences in a referendum campaign compared to a general election campaign. This volume demonstrates which conditions result in the largest campaign volatility and which citizens are most affected by campaigns vis-a-vis existing predispositions. The book focuses on the key actors in a referendum (the political elites/parties, the media and citizens) and relates its arguments to core themes such as campaign effects, electoral mobilization and turnout, as well as vote choice. The book is international and comparative in nature and it is designed to start filling a gap in the current literature on referendums.