Dr Françoise Boucek, BA (Toronto), MSc, PhD (London: LSE)

Profile

Dr Françoise Boucek joined Queen Mary in 2003. She taught comparative and European politics in the School of Politics and International from 2003-2018 and remains Visiting Research Fellow attached to the Centre for European Research. Previously she lectured and taught in the Government Department at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) where she obtained her PhD in 2002. Her doctoral thesis which won the 2002 LSE’s William Robson Memorial Prize, focused on the impact of factionalism on dominant political parties in Britain, Canada, Italy and Japan. At the LSE she also worked as Research Officer in the LSE Public Policy Group, and managed the LSE Internships Programme. She also held  visiting teaching positions in political science at the University of Witten Herdecke (Germany) and London Guildhall (now London Metropolitan) University. Committed to the issue of gender equality in academia, she was co-Chair of the Equality and Diversity Committee in the School of Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary for many years.

She completed an MSc (1991) in Political Science in the Government Department at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a BA (1988) in political science from the University of Toronto. Before becoming an academic, she had a career in business administration and finance notably in Canada where she worked in portfolio management and research in Toronto’s top investment bank after gaining her credentials from the Canadian Securities Institute. She grew up in France where she graduated in business administration in the 1970s

Françoise is an international expert in the comparative study of intra-party factionalism and dominant political parties. Her main research interests are comparative and European politics (including the EU), political parties and organisations; factionalism, intra-party and coalition politics; electoral systems and elections. Her most recent book, Factional Politics: How Dominant Parties Implode or Stabilize (Palgrave Macmillan, Oct 2012) includes a game theory analysis of the British Conservatives factional wars over Europe. She is also co-editor (with Matthijs Bogaards) of Dominant Political Parties and Democracy: Concepts, Measures, Cases and Comparisons (London: Routledge, 2010).

Françoise regularly comments on France's politics and elections in the national and international media including BBC World News, Sky News; Al-Jazeera; BBC 5Live Radio, LBC Radio, TalkRadio, BBC Radio Wales, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC); Radio Canada; Australia's ABC; American NBC and ABC; and academic blogs European Politics and Policy and British Politics and Policy. She has appeared in Japan's newspapers Asahi Shibun and Yomiuri Shimbun, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Pravda and written about referendums in Quebec and Scotland.

Undergraduate Teaching

POL388 Politics Research Project

International Foundation Programme 2017-18

IFP3003: Introduction to Politics

IFP3004: Introduction to International Politics

Research

Research Interests:

Areas of interest

Comparative and European politics, political parties and party systems, party competition, single-party dominance in mature and emerging democracies, factionalism, party organisation and intra-party politics, coalitions and legislative bargaining, party cohesion and dissent in European parliaments, representative democracy, comparative electoral systems and electoral reform, European integration, euro scepticism, EU economic governance (notably the eurozone sovereign debt crisis and fiscal federalism), group behaviour and decisional dilemmas resulting from intra-group dissent, rational choice institutionalism, focus group research and gender equality in academia.

Current areas of research

My academic research focuses on political parties, especially the comparative study of factionalism in political science, its measurement and impact on dominant political parties, the conceptualisation and measurement of party dominance, the relationship between one-party dominance and factionalism particularly in Britain, Canada, Italy and Japan – the topic of my monograph Factional Politics: How Dominant Parties Implode or Stabilize (Palgrave); the comparative study of dominant party systems and the relationship between one-party dominance and democracy in mature and emerging democracies – the topic of my co-edited volume Dominant Political Parties and Democracy: Concepts, Measures, Cases and Comparisons (Routledge) resulting from an ECPR collaborative project. My interest in political economy include the EU's response to the eurozone's sovereign debt crisis and its analysis from the perspective of fiscal federalism.

Publications

Books

Françoise Boucek (2012) Factional Politics: How Dominant Parties Implode or Stabilize (Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan)

Matthijs Bogaards and Françoise Boucek eds. (2010) Dominant Political Parties and Democracy: Concepts, Measures, Cases and Comparisons (Abingdon and New York: Routledge/ECPR Studies in European Political Science); includes a chapter by myself on 'The Factional Politics of Dominant Parties' (pp 117-139).

Academic Articles

Françoise Boucek (2017) 'Transforming the Republic'; The World Today June & July 2017 (Chatham House Royal Institute of International Affairs)

Françoise Boucek (2010) ‘The Least Worst Option? The Pros and Cons of Coalition Government’, The Political Studies Political Insight Vol.1 (2) 48-51 (Wiley-Blackwell)

Françoise Boucek (2010) ‘The Factional Politics of Dominant Parties: Evidence from Britain, Italy and Japan’ in Bogaards and Boucek eds. Dominant Parties and Democracy: Concepts, Measures, Cases and Comparisons (Routledge) 117-139

Françoise Boucek (2010) ‘The intra-party dimension of dominance’ in Bogaards and Boucek eds. (2010) Dominant Political Parties and Democracy: Concepts, Measures, Cases and Comparisons (Routledge) 109-115

Françoise Boucek (2009) ‘Rethinking Factionalism: Typologies, Intra-Party Dynamics and Three Faces of Factionalism’ Party Politics Vol. 15 (4) 455-485 (134 citations)

Patrick Dunleavy and Françoise Boucek (2003) ‘Constructing the Number of Parties’, Party Politics Vol. 9 (3) 291-315 (139 citations)

Françoise Boucek (2002) ‘The structure and dynamics of intra-party politics in Europe’ in Paul Webb and Paul Lewis eds. Perspectives on European Politics and Society Vol. 3 (3) 55-95 (28 citations)

Françoise Boucek (2003) ‘The structure and dynamics of intra-party politics in Europe’ in Paul Webb and Paul Lewis eds. Pan-European Perspectives on Party Politics (Brill: Leiden, Boston, Köln) pp 55-95 (28 citations Google Scholar)

Françoise Boucek (1998) ‘Electoral and parliamentary aspects of dominant party systems’ in Paul Pennings and Jan Erik Lane eds. Comparing Party System Change (Routledge: London and New York), 103-124. (37 citations)

Françoise Boucek (1993) ‘Developments in post-war French political economy: the continuing decline of dirigisme?’ in J. Sheldrake and P. Webb eds. State and Market: Aspects of Modern European Development (Dartmouth: Aldershot, Brookfield USA, Hong Kong,

Other Academic Publications and Blogs

Françoise Boucek (29 March 2017) 'Put Le Pen and Macron to one side - it's the June legislative elections that will decide how France is governed EUROPP European Politics and Policy

Françoise Boucek (26 Nov 2016) 'Fillon vs Juppé: What differences are there between French centre-right's candidates?' EUROPP European Politics and Policy

Françoise Boucek (2 April 2015) Sarkozy's French local election victory sets the stage for the run up to the next presidential election' EUROPP European Politics and Policy

Françoise Boucek (30 Sept 2014) Sarkozy's Return to Politics Political Insight, Political Studies Association Blog

Françoise Boucek (15 April 2013), ‘Thatcher sowed disunity in the Conservative Party, the repercussions of which are still felt today’, British Politics and Policy http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/archives/32670

Françoise Boucek (22 Nov 2012) ‘The UMP’s disputed leadership election could have important implications for democratic politics in France’, EUROPP European Politics and Policy http://bit.ly/RWxMBX

Françoise Boucek (9 Oct 2012) ‘David Cameron is applying lessons from his party’s history in the Conservatives’ “Euro War”, EUROPP European Politics and Policy http://bit.ly/VJpBfS

Françoise Boucek (4 May 2012) ‘After an inconclusive debate, on the final day of the French presidential election campaign, Hollande is still ahead’, EUROPP European Politics and Policy http://bit.ly/JwzPVv

Françoise Boucek (11 April 2012), ‘The French elections are too close to call. Watch out left and right!’ EUROPP European Politics and Policy http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2012/04/11/french-elections-too-close-to-cal/

Françoise Boucek (12 Jan 2012) ‘Canada’s constitutional war with Quebec over its sovereignty suggests that any campaign for Scottish independence will be long and attritional’, British Politics and Policy http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/archives/19621

Françoise Boucek (9 May 2011), ‘Alex Salmond would be wise to study Quebec’s travels down the road to independence. So far that road has led nowhere’, British Politics and Policy http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/archives/10117

Françoise Boucek (22 Oct 2010), ‘Can Anglo-French military cooperation fill the gaps of the Strategic Defence Review? British Politics and Policy

Françoise Boucek (14 Sept 2010), ‘Once you recognize that coalition government is a European norm, and is likely to endure in the UK, further changes in British party politics look quite feasible’, British Politics and Policy

Françoise Boucek (13 May 2010), ‘Is Britain becoming another European consensus democracy?, British Politics and Policy

Françoise Boucek (26 April 2010) ‘The Conservatives’ arguments against electoral reform’, British Politics and Policy

Selected Book Reviews

Françoise Boucek (29 Jul 2012) French Presidential Elections (2012) by Michael S. Lewis-Beck, Richard Nadeau and Eric Béranger (Palgrave Macmillan) EUROPP Book Reviews

Farrell David M. and Roger Scully (2007) Representing Europe’s Citizens? Electoral Institutions and the Failures of Parliamentary Representation, (Oxford University Press) in Journal of Common Market Studies, June 2008 (46) 3.

Sabine Saurugger ed. (2003) Les Modes de Représentation dans l’Union Européenne (Paris: l’Harmattan) in Journal of Common Market Studies 42(5) Dec. 2004.

Webb Paul, David Farrell and Ian Holliday eds. (2002)Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies, in Political Studies Review Vol. 1(3) Sept.2003 (Blackwell)

Heywood Paul, Erik Jones and Martin Rhodes eds. (2002) Developments in West European Politics 2 (Palgrave), in Political Studies Review 1 (2), 244-255 April 2003

Mulé Rosa (2001) Political Parties, Games and Redistribution (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) in Party Politics, Vol. 8 (2) 369-371 May 2002

Newell James ed. (2003) The Italian General Election of 2001: Berlusconi’s victory, (Manchester University Press) Political Studies Review Vol. 1(3) September 2003

Selected  Academic Conference Papers

Click on tab: 'Public Engagement'

Research Reports for Government Organisations

Patrick Dunleavy, Helen Margetts, Simon Bastow, Françoise Boucek and Rosie Campbell (2003) Report commissioned by the National Audit Office Difficult forms: how government agencies interact with citizens (London: NAO) HC 1145 2002-03. ISBN: 0102923604)

This includes a practical guide on ‘Improving and reviewing government forms’ and a ‘Report on Ten Focus Groups’. I was Team Leader responsible for all aspects of planning, organising and running 13 focus groups in different parts of the UK.

Data collection for quantitative survey of ministerial resignations published as Keith Dowding and Patrick Dumont (2009), The selection of ministers in Europe: hiring and firing (Routledge).

Public Engagement

Co-convenor of the French Politics and Policy Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association (PSA)

Associate of the LSE Public Policy Group, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Visiting Professor in Comparative Political Science, Private University of Witten Herdecke, Germany (2012)

Politics and elections (recent academic engagements and media appearances)

Monocle 24 Foreign Desk  (2 October 2021) Radio roundtable discussion on Monocle 24 Foreign Desk with host Andrew Mueller and Quentin Peel about ‘Coalition Politics: the highs and lows’ 

Chatham House Royal Institute of International Affairs (8 May 2017) Invited Guest Speaker for panel discussion French Presidential Election: What next for France and Europe with Lord Peter Ricketts, Former UK Ambassador to France (2012-16); Jonathan Fenby, Author, History of Modern France and Dr Susan Collard, University of Sussex; Chair: Bénédicte Paviot, UK Correspondent, France 24.

Follow up article: Françoise Boucek (2017) 'Transforming the Republic'; The World Today June & July 2017 (Chatham House Royal Institute of International Affairs)

Invited Guest Speaker at the London School of Economics European Institute (14 March 2017) The French presidential election: implications for France and Europe  with Professor Christian Lequesne, Sciences Po Paris and John Peel, The Economist, chaired by Professor Sarah Hobolt

Recent broadcasting and media appearances about France's 2017 presidential and legislative elections campaigns and results:

• Sky News: 28 Nov 2016; 4 Feb 2017; 21 April 2017 (videos available on UTube)
• BBC World News: 8 May 2017; 12 June 2017 (videos available on UTube)
• BBC Radio5Live: 3 Feb 2017
• BBC Radio London: 9 June 2017
• ABC Australia Radio interview on AM programme: 5 May 2017
• Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan's largest newspaper) 5 May 2017: extensive interview with UK Bureau Chief for major article featuring three experts (from UK, Brussels and France) discussing the consequences of a Macron (or Le Pen) victory for UK-EU relations, Brexit and UK-France relations.
• NBC News: 8 May 2017.
• American ABC News (London): 8 May 2017 and 21April 2017.

Extensive interview about the French presidential election campaign 2017 at Queen Mary University with Mr. Koichi Onodera, Visiting Fellow at Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) and affiliated with Japan's Ministry of Defence

Various media interviews about the 2015 Westminster election and UK politics for BBC News and French Canadian media (CBC and Radio Canada) about the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence compared to Quebec; the British political landscape in 2015 with the rise of the SNP and UKIP; the triggering of Article 50 in 2017 to exit the EU etc.

Policy engagement

• The National Audit Office Research Reports for Government Organisations
• Team Leader responsible for all aspects of planning, organising and running 13 focus groups in different parts of the UK for following project:
• Report commissioned by the National Audit OfficeDifficult forms: how government agencies interact with citizens (London: NAO) HC 1145 2002-03. ISBN: 0102923604) authored by Patrick Dunleavy, Helen Margetts, Simon Bastow, Françoise Boucek and Rosie Campbell (2003) includes a practical guide on ‘Improving and reviewing government forms’ and a ‘Report on Ten Focus Groups’.

Recent academic conferences and wider engagement

Research Seminar School of Politics and IR, Queen Mary University (2 Dec 2015). I presented a paper titled 'The EU's debt crisis: classic intergovernmental bargaining or creeping fiscal federalism?' based on my ECPR 2015 Montreal paper.

European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) General Conference, University of Montreal (26-29 August 2015). I presented a paper titled 'The EU's sovereign debt crisis: classic intergovernmental bargaining or creeping fiscal federalism?' in Panel P358 'Studying Federations and Intergovernmental Relations in Canada and Europe' within Section S07 'Canadian and European Political Science in Conversation'.

Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) Annual Conference (16-19 April 2015). I was Chair and Discussant for Panel 8-19: Euro-skepticism and populism in the European Parliament

University of Michigan (USA) Center for Southeast Asian Studies (9-10 May 2014); I was invited to participate in this symposium on ‘Dominant Party Systems Conference’. I was Chair and Discussant and presented a paper titled 'The maintenance and decline of dominant party systems in the developed world: inter- and intra-party interpretations'.

ECPR Annual Conference, Bordeaux Sciences PO (France) 4-7 Sept 2013; I presented a paper in Section 6 (Challenges to Contemporary Party Democracy) Panel 173 (Internal Party Democracy in New and Established Democracies) titled ‘The Dilemmas of intra-party democracy: lessons from Italy, Japan and elsewhere.’

Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, London, 5 Feb 2013: Launch of my single-author monograph Factional Politics: How Dominant Parties Implode or Stabilize (Palgrave) podcast

Centre for European Research, Queen Mary University of London, April 2013; I presented my book at the CER first research event chaired by Lord Liddle

Lewes Speakers Festival (UK), 14 July 2012: I chaired a panel discussion about ‘The future of French society after the May 2012 elections’ with broadcaster Jonathan Meades, authors and journalists Jonathan Fenby and Theodore Dalrymple

Al-Jazeera (London studios) Election Night, May 2012; I provided comments on the results of the second round of France's presidential elections and François Hollande's victory.

Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) Centre d'Etudes de la Vie Politique  (CEVIPOL) Brussels (Belgium) Research Seminar Series (25 Nov 2011); I presented findings from my forthcoming book Factional Politics: How Dominant Parties Implode or Stabilize (Palgrave) at seminar series of Centre d’Etudes de La Vie Politique (CEVIPOL)

European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) Joint Sessions of Workshops,  St. Gallen (Switzerland) 12-18 April 2011. I was Director of Workshop No 20: ‘Cohesion, Dissent and Partisan Politics in European Legislatures’ (co-Director in absentia: Prof Daniela Giannetti)

British Politics and Policy at LSE, Spring 2010. I participated in the launch of this new (now  well established) academic blog during the 2010 Westminster general election campaign with colleagues from the LSE Public Policy Group and contributed several widely-circulated posts during the campaign and after the election.

Political Studies Association (PSA) Sept 2010. I was invited to write an article on coalition government for the PSA new academic journal Political Insight (Wiley-Blackwell) titled ‘The Least Worst Option? The Pros and Cons of Coalition Government’(my most popular paper on ResearchGate)

European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) General Conference, Potsdam (Germany) 10-12 Sept 2009. I was Chair of an 8-panel Section No 52: ‘The Organisation of Conflict inside Political Parties’ (co-chair: Prof Richard Katz). I chaired a Panel on ‘Factionalism and Intra-party Conflict’.

Media appearances

I regularly appear on national and international television and radio to comment about French politics and elections (and about UK politics for French media) including for BBC World News 'Business Live', BBC 5Live Radio, BBC London Radio, BBC Radio Wales, Sky News 'Sunrise'; Al-Jazeera; Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Radio Canada; Australia's ABC; American NBC and ABC. I have also appeared in Japan's newspapers Asahi Shibum and Yomiuri Shimbun ; the Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Pravda, Dutch newspaper De Pers, Brazil’s Folha de São Paulo, Danish trade union federation newspaper Ugebrevet A4 and UK ‘New Unionism Network’. I am a regular contributor to academic blogs European Politics and Policy and British Politics and Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and occasionally join discussions on Prof Matthew Shugart's election blog Fruits and Votes (University of California, San Diego).