Jae-Jae Spoon

  • Department Chair & Professor

Jae-Jae Spoon is Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Political Science Department. Previously, she was Director of the European Studies Center. She is co-editor Research & Politics (R&P).  Her research focuses on comparative electoral behavior primarily in Europe.  She is interested in understanding political party strategies and their outcomes for the party, its elected officials, and voters, and how party type and size, institutions, and context influence parties’ decision‐making at both the domestic and European levels. She has a particular interest in the behavior of new and small political parties. Professor Spoon received her PhD from the University of Michigan.  Before coming to Pittsburgh, she taught at the University of Iowa and the University of North Texas and was a visiting researcher at the University of Mannheim. 

Courses

PS 0300 Introduction to Comparative Politics

PS 1311 European Politics

PS 1330 European Union/European Studies Capstone

PS 1381 Comparative Capstone: Parties, Elections and Populists in Europe

PS 2312 Comparative Parties and Elections

PS 2301 Comparative Politics Field Seminar

Education & Training

  • PhD, University of Michigan, 2005

Representative Publications

Spoon, Jae-Jae and Christopher J. Williams. 2021. “’It’s the Economy, Stupid’:  When Challenger Parties Expand their Issue Appeals.” West European Politics. 44.4: 802-824.         

Klüver, Heike and Jae-Jae Spoon. 2020. “Helping or Hurting: How Governing as a Junior Coalition Partner Influences Electoral Outcomes.” Journal of Politics. 82.4:  1231-1242.

Spoon, Jae-Jae and Nils Ringe (co-editors). 2020. The European Union and Beyond: Multi-Level Governance, Institutions and Policy-Making. ECPR Press.

Spoon, Jae-Jae and Heike Klüver. 2020. “Responding to Far Right Challengers:   Does Accommodation Pay Off?” Journal of European Public Policy. 27.2:  273-291.

Hays, Jude, Junghyun Lim and Jae-Jae Spoon. 2019. “Ideology and Trade:  The Path to Right-Wing Populism in Europe.” Electoral Studies. 60.

Greene, Zachary, Jae-Jae Spoon and Christopher Williams. 2018. “Reading between the Lines:  Party Cues and SNP Support for Scottish Independence and Brexit.” Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties.  28.3:  307-329.

Spoon, Jae-Jae and Heike Klüver. 2017. “Does Anybody Notice? How Position Shifts of Coalition Parties are Perceived by Voters.” European Journal of Political Research. 56.1:  115-132.

Klüver, Heike and Jae-Jae Spoon. 2016. “Who Responds? Voters, Parties, and Issue Attention.” British Journal of Political Science.  46.3:  633-654.

Spoon, Jae-Jae and Karleen Jones West. 2015. “Bottoms Up:  How Subnational Elections Influence Parties’ Decisions to Run in Presidential Elections in Europe and Latin America.” Research & Politics. 2.3.

Spoon, Jae-Jae and Heike Klüver.  2015 “Voter Polarization and Party Responsiveness:  Why Parties Emphasize Divided Issues, but Remain Silent on Unified Issues.” European Journal of Political Research. 54.2:  343-362.

Williams, Christopher and Jae-Jae Spoon. 2015. “Differentiated Party Response: The Effect of Euroskeptic Public Opinion on Party Positions.” European Union Politics. 16.2: 176-193.

Spoon, Jae-Jae, Sara B. Hobolt and Catherine E. de Vries.  2014. “Going Green:  Explaining Issue Competition on the Environment.” European Journal of Political Research. 53.2:  363-380

Spoon, Jae-Jae. 2011. Political Survival of Small Parties in Europe.  2011.  New Comparative Politics Series.  University of Michigan Press.   [Paperback published January 2015.]

CV

Area of Study