Redistricting in Comparative Perspective

The aim of this book is threefold. First to put in one place for the convenience of both scholars and practitioners the basic data on redistricting practices in democracies around the world. Remarkably, this data has never before been collected. Second, to provide a series of short case studies that look in more detail at particular countries with regard to the institutions and practices that have evolved for redistricting and the nature of the debates that have arisen. Third, to begin to look in comparative perspective at the consequences of alternative redistricting mechanisms and at the tradeoffs among competing redistricting criteria.

This volume has contributions from some of the leading specialists on redistricting in the world. The chapters reflect a mix of country-specific material, chapters that are broadly comparative, and chapters whose contributions are more methodological in nature. The chapters in this volume provide an indispensable introduction to the institutions, practices, and consequences of boundary delimitation around the world.

Comparative Politics is a series for students and teachers of political science that deals with contemporary issues in comparative government and politics. The General Editors are David M. Farrell, Jean Monnet Chair in European Politics and Head of School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester and Alfio Mastropaolo, University of Turin. The series is published in association with the European Consortium for Political Research.

Bernard Grofman received his B.S. in Mathematics at the University of Chicago in 1966 and his Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Chicago in 1972. He has been Professor of Political Science since 1980, and on the faculty of the University of California, Irvine since 1976. His past research has dealt with mathematical models of group decision making, legislative representation, electoral rules, and redistricting. Currently, he is working on comparative politics and political economy, with an emphasis on viewing the United States in comparative perspective. He is co-author of 4 books and co-editor of 16 other books; he has published over 200 research articles and book chapters, including work in the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, the British Journal of Political Science, Electoral Studies, Social Choice and Welfare, and Public Choice. Professor Grofman is a past President of the Public Choice Society.

Lisa Handley is President of Frontier International Electoral Consulting and a widely recognized expert on the drawing of electoral boundaries, her previous books include Minority Representation and the Quest for Voting Equality (with B. Grofman and R.G. Niemi, CUP, 1994).