Current Research Projects

European and Comparative politics

Trans-nationalism

AREA: European and Comparative politics

Project: Seclusion and Inclusion in the European Polity: Institutional Change and Democratic Practices (SIEPOL)

Financial support: European University Institute

Researcher:

Catherine Moury (CIES-ISCTE)

Adrienne Heritier (Robert Schuman Center)

Peter Mair (European University Institute)

Arthur Benz (University of Hagen);

Carl-Fredrik Bergström (University of Stockholm);

Carina Bischoff (University of Copenhagen);

Roland Czada (University of Osnabrück);

Zsolt Enyedi (Central European University);

Christine Reh (University College London and EUI)

Summary:

This research project is intended to analyze the causes, processes and impact of political seclusion and inclusion at the European level and at the national level of the old member states, as well as the inter-relationship between these levels. We focus primarily on the role of institutions in the process of seclusion and inclusion, and on their relation to the democratic functioning of the European Union and its member states. By seclusion and inclusion we refer to the following: at both the European and national levels, we appear to be witnessing two contrasting developments. On the one hand, political decision-makers appear increasingly “sealed off” or “secluded” from the wider constituency, and, indeed from the rank-and-file of elected politicians; on the other hand, there are multiple and diffuse attempts at a radical opening-up of democratic decision-making that invoke greater inclusion through direct-democratic procedures, greater decision-making transparency, more widespread access to information, and greater contacts with civil society. This research project is intended to investigate the factors that drive these developments at the European and national levels, to assess the extent to which the two processes are related, and to analyze the links, if any, between what occurs at the national level and what occurs at the European level. We finally discuss the normative implications that our findings have for democratic legitimation in Europe.

Project: Switching Behavior in the European Parliament: Voting Power and Ideology (POCTI/CPO/61012/2004)

(Mobilidade Inter-Partidária no Parlamento Europeu: Poder de Voto e Ideologia)

Research Team: Ana Maria Evans de Carvalho (CIES-ISCTE/UNL)

Luís Bento (Universidade de Lisboa)

Financial Support: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)

AREA: Transnational issues

Project: Vagas atlânticas: A Imigração brasileira em Portugal (em parceria com o SOCIUS e o CES)

Lenght: 2007-2010

Financial support: FCT

Research Team: Beatriz Padilla, Filipa Palma e Maria Xavier
 

Description: O projecto pretende estudar a imigração brasileira em Portugal nas últimas décadas do século XX e início do século XXI, considerando:

(a) As várias fases desta imigração

(b) As suas características demográficas e sócio-económicas (sexo e idade, conjugalidade, inserção territorial, níveis de educação e qualificação profissional, categorias profissionais e modos de relação laboral)

(c) Modos de incorporação laboral destes imigrantes

(d) Modos de integração social dos imigrantes

(e) O tipo de projecto migratório

(f) A singularidade desta imigração em Portugal comparada com outros destinos internacionais destes imigrantes
 

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