TABS: Polish elections 1989-2023. Political consequences of electoral law through the eyes of a sociologist. 3500-TABS-PW

Political and social consequences of electoral law are of interest to political scientists and lawyers; however, their study and analysis primarily require sociological methods and categories. Moreover, the "categorization" of knowledge among social science fields is somewhat artificial and secondary. On the other hand, for sociologists (as well as for political scientists), law is one of the institutions that shape social reality—and as such, it can be the subject of sociological research and analysis par excellence.

By shaping electoral law, politics aims to influence the course of political processes—sometimes successfully, but at other times the outcomes are entirely different from expectations, or completely unforeseen side effects arise. Occasionally, in changing social conditions, a minor element of the system suddenly gains great significance. Over the thirty-five years since the June elections of 1989, we have gathered many instructive observations in this area. Conversely, it is worth realizing how significant certain solutions could have been for the shaping of contemporary Polish history, even though their creators were completely unaware of the consequences of their decisions. Although we will focus on the case of Poland, the mechanisms we will examine have a universal character.

The nature of the seminar is such that its detailed course must be co-shaped by participants, who are also expected to actively participate in preparing presentations on individual topics. Below is a list of topics that is somewhat open: it is impossible to discuss the entire "electoral history of Poland" in just a few meetings, even when limiting ourselves to the last several decades. The list is intentionally excessive (topics will be selected based on participants' interests), and it is possible to include topics proposed by participants or those whose significance will only become apparent during seminar discussions.

1. Elections 1989. Contractual electoral system: novelty or continuation of Polish electoral solutions?
2. Elections 1989. "Could communists maintain power after the Round Table?"
3. What is an electoral system? What variables define it (and what values can they take)?
4. Elections 1991 and 1993: fragmentation and concentration in parliament, their sources and methods of control. Methods of dividing mandates in proportional elections. Progressive proportionality.
5. Elections 1993 and 1997. Strategic consequences (and conditions) of merging and splitting.
6. Elections 2001 (and beyond). Do parties benefit from manipulating electoral law (and what can be manipulated)?
7. Local elections 2014 (and beyond): Invalid votes, an important problem. What significance does ballot design have (and why does it sometimes matter and sometimes not)?
8. All elections. How to divide mandates among electoral districts? And how do we know how many voters there are in districts?
9. European Parliament and degressive proportionality.
10. Elections 2018-2023: social control of elections, its methods and significance.
11. Elections 2018-2023. How (and why) to change electoral law, and how better not to do it?
12. Elections (almost all). "Illusion of choice?" Why are there hundreds of candidates on lists with no chance of election: about the functionality and pathologies of the "open list" system.
13. Voting from abroad: how and if to do it? Who are the overseas voters?