Episode 2 - Catherine de Vries. Political Parties as Entrepreneurs

Transformation of European Politics Podcast

In this episode, I talk to Catherine de Vries who is Professor of Political Science at Bocconi University. Our conversation will focus on her forthcoming book “Political Entrepreneurs: The Rise of Challenger Parties in Europe.” which is co-authored with Sara Hobolt. The book will come out this summer but you can already pre-order it with Princeton University Press. https://press.princeton.edu/books/ebook/9780691206547/political-entrepreneurs In the book Catherine de Vries and Sara Hobolt analyze how challenger parties use different strategies to change existing patterns of political competition. Successful challenger parties work as issue entrepreneurs – that means they politicize new issues that drive wedges through existing political coalitions. Think of the radical right and the issue of immigration. But challenger parties do not only politicize new issues, they equally make use of anti-establishment rhetoric in order to mobilize voters – and it is that combination that makes them successful. While much political science literature has focused on challenger parties such as Green or radical right parties, the book also points to the resilience and continuing market dominance of mainstream parties. In the remainder of the episode Catherine and I talk more generally about how parties can influence structures of political conflicts. For more information about Catherine and her research you can follow her on twitter under “at” CatherineDVries or visit her website catherinedevries.eu I hope you enjoy the conversation Political science recommendation: Peter Mair: Ruling the Void. https://www.versobooks.com/books/1447-ruling-the-void