About
Mike is a Comparative Politics specialist with a particular interest in West European political parties, EU politics, political party manifesto research, and Euroscepticism.
Qualifications
PhD Political Science (Birmingham) 2010
MA European Studies (Birmingham) 2005
BSc (Hons) Public Policy, Government and Management (Birmingham) 2004
Biography
Mike is a Comparative Politics specialist with a particular interest in West European political parties, EU politics, political party manifesto research, and Euroscepticism. At the moment he is focused on adapting his PhD research into journal publications and a potential monograph.
He currently convenes two courses for POLSIS - a 3rd year Europe in a Globalised World module and a 2nd year Cultural Research Methods module (for the Autumn semester). He also contributes to the research methods seminar teaching at the undergraduate and postgraduate level - for the 2nd year Data Analysis and Research Design module, and the MA Research Methods module (for the Spring Semester
Teaching
Lecturing:
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POLS 336 Europe in a Globalised World
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SOC 208 Cultural Research Methods (Autumn semester only)
Seminars
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POLS SD2D Data Analysis and Research Design
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SOC 208 Cultural Research Methods (Autumn semester only)
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MA Social Research course for CoSS (Spring semester only)
Mike currently contributes to 3rd year undergraduate dissertation supervision
Research
Research interests
Mike’s research fits into the following academic fields:
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Comparative Politics
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European Union Politics
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Quantitative Methodologies
His interests include the following:
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Euroscepticism
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Political Parties
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Party System Theory
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Politics of Western Europe
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Manifesto research
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Second-order elections
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Elections and Voting Behaviour
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German Politics
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British Politics
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European Union politics
Current and recent research
Mike recently completed his PhD (September 2010) entitled “the Utilisation of Euroscepticism in European Election Campaigns: a multi-dimensional analysis” which examined political party-based Euroscepticism in the fifteen member states of the EU between 1989-2004.
Mike is currently working on several articles focusing on the policy shifts of the current UK coalition government; party behaviour in European elections; and party-based Euroscepticism papers based on research conducted for his Doctoral dissertation.
Previously he has contributed to research projects run by colleagues in POLSIS and School of Public Policy, including the following:
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Research Assistant on ESRC funded research project: Paradoxes and Contradictions in EU Democracy Promotion in the Middle East (February-April 2009).
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Research Assistant on EU Committee of the Regions Project: Rowe, C. & Bloomfield, J. (2007) Communicating Europe at the Local and Regional Level, Brussels: Committee of the Regions.
Publications
Adkins, M. (2007) "Is there really no debate on Europe? A multi-dimensional analysis of Euroscepticism in Germany" Duitsland Instituut Amsterdam Forschungberichte Nr.