Professor Michael Gallagher
Fellow Emeritus, Political Science
Biography
Michael Gallagher is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Political Science (Professor of Comparative Politics 2006-21, Associate Professor 1998-2006) and was Head of Department for nine years in three separate spells (2005-08, 2010-13, 2015-18). He was a Lecturer (since 2012 this grade has been titled assistant professor) in the department 1979-1998. He was elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2013. He was a Visiting Professor in the Center for European Studies and Ireland House, New York University, 1997, a Visiting Professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration, City University, Hong Kong, 2001, and a Visiting Professor at Sciences-Po Lille in February 2007.
He did two degrees (a first degree and a masters) in Computer Science, emphasising the area of artificial intelligence and using in particular the specialist language POP-2, before switching to Political Science in the mid-1970s.
His main areas of expertise are comparative electoral systems, political institutions, political parties, and Irish politics.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Politics, the constitution and the judiciary in, editor(s)John Coakley, Michael Gallagher, Eoin O'Malley and Theresa Reidy , Politics in the Republic of Ireland 7, Abingdon and New York, Routledge, 2023, pp62 - 94, [Michael Gallagher]
The electoral system and its political consequences in, editor(s)John Coakley, Michael Gallagher, Eoin O'Malley and Theresa Reidy , Politics in the Republic of Ireland 7, Abingdon and New York, Routledge, 2023, pp97 - 127, [Michael Gallagher]
John Coakley, Michael Gallagher, Eoin O'Malley and Theresa Reidy, Politics in the Republic of Ireland 7, 7, Abingdon & New York, Routledge, 2023, 1 - 505pp
The politics of referendums in, editor(s)David Farrell, Niamh Hardiman , Oxford Handbook of Irish Politics, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2021, pp610 - 626, [Michael Gallagher]
Michael Gallagher, Michael Marsh and Theresa Reidy (eds), How Ireland Voted 2020: the end of an era, 1, Cham, Switzerland, Springer / Palgrave, 2021, 1 - 373pp
The results analysed: the definitive end of the traditional party system? in, editor(s)Michael Gallagher, Michael Marsh, Theresa Reidy , How Ireland Voted 2020: the end of an era, Cham, Switzerland, Springer / Palgrave, 2021, pp165 - 196, [Michael Gallagher]
Elections and referendums in, editor(s)Daniele Caramani , Comparative Politics 5e, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2020, pp178 - 192, [Michael Gallagher]
John Coakley and Michael Gallagher (editors), Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 6th ed, 6, Abingdon and New York, Routledge, 2018, 1 - 423pp
The constituency role of Dáil deputies in, editor(s)John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland 6, Abingdon and New York, Routledge, 2018, pp191 - 215, [Michael Gallagher and Lee Komito]
Politics, the constitution and the judiciary in, editor(s)John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland 6, Abingdon and New York, Routledge, 2018, pp57 - 85, [Michael Gallagher]
The Oireachtas: president and parliament in, editor(s)John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland 6, Abingdon and New York, Routledge, 2018, pp164 - 190, [Michael Gallagher]
Dimensions of variation in electoral systems in, editor(s)Erik S. Herron, Robert J. Pekkanen, and Matthew S. Shugart , Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems, Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press, 2018, pp23 - 40, [Michael Gallagher and Paul Mitchell]
What do Irish voters want from and think of their politicians? in, editor(s)Michael Marsh, David Farrell, Theresa Reidy , The Post-Crisis Irish Voter, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 2018, pp190 - 208, [David Farrell, Michael Gallagher, David Barrett]
The changing nature of electoral competition in Ireland in, editor(s)Niall O Dochartaigh, Katy Hayward and Elizabeth Meehan , Dynamics of Political Change in Ireland, Abingdon, Routledge, 2017, pp110 - 128, [Michael Gallagher]
Pathological parochialism or a valuable service? Attitudes to the constituency service role of Irish parliamentarians in, editor(s)Michael Marsh, David M Farrell, Gail McElroy , A Conservative Revolution? Electoral change in twenty-first-century Ireland, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp143 - 171, [Michael Gallagher and Jane Suiter]
Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh eds, How Ireland Voted 2016: the election that nobody won, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016, 1 - 327pp
The results analysed: the aftershocks continue in, editor(s)Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh , How Ireland Voted 2016: the election that nobody won, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016, pp125 - 157, [Michael Gallagher]
Shqipe Mjekiqi and Michael Gallagher, The parliamentary elections in Kosovo, June 2014, Electoral Studies, 38, 2015, p106 - 109
Politics in Mayo 1922 to 2013 in, editor(s)Gerard Moran and Nollaig Ó Muraíle , Mayo: history and society, Dublin, Geography Publications, 2014, pp757 - 780, [Michael Gallagher]
Electoral institutions and representation in, editor(s)Lawrence LeDuc, Richard G Niemi, Pippa Norris , Comparing Democracies, London and Los Angeles, Sage, 2014, pp11 - 31, [Michael Gallagher]
Legislators' constituency orientation in, editor(s)Kris Deschouwer and Sam Depauw , Representing the People: a survey among members of statewide and sub-state parliaments, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2014, pp166 - 187, [Audrey André, Michael Gallagher and Giulia Sandri]
The political role of the president in, editor(s)John Coakley & Kevin Rafter , The Irish presidency: power, ceremony and politics, Dublin, Irish Academic Press, 2013, pp40 - 59, [Michael Gallagher]
Michael Gallagher, The political role of the president of Ireland, Irish Political Studies, 27, (4), 2012, p522 - 538
Michael Courtney, Michael Gallagher , The parliamentary election in Ireland, February 2011, Electoral Studies, 31, (1), 2012, p231 - 234
Michael Gallagher, Parties and referendums in Ireland 1937-2011, Irish Political Studies, 26, (4), 2011, p535 - 544
Michael Gallagher, Michael Laver and Peter Mair, Representative Government in Modern Europe, 5, Maidenhead and New York, McGraw-Hill, 2011, 507 pp
Ireland's earthquake election: analysis of the results in, editor(s)Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh , How Ireland Voted 2011, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2011, pp139 - 171, [Michael Gallagher]
Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh eds, How Ireland voted 2011: the full story of Ireland's 'earthquake election', Basingstoke, Palgrave, 2011, 326pp
The constituency role of Dáil deputies in, editor(s)John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland 5, London, Routledge and PSAI Press, 2010, pp230 - 262, [Michael Gallagher and Lee Komito]
Parliamentary parties and the party whips in, editor(s)Muiris MacCarthaigh and Maurice Manning , The Houses of the Oireachtas: parliament in Ireland, Dublin, Institute of Public Administration, 2010, pp129 - 152, [Michael Gallagher]
The Oireachtas: president and parliament in, editor(s)John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland 5, London, Routledge and PSAI Press, 2010, pp198 - 229, [Michael Gallagher]
The changing constitution in, editor(s)John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland, London, Routledge and PSAI Press, 2010, pp72 - 108, [Michael Gallagher]
John Coakley and Michael Gallagher (eds), Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 5, London and Beverly Hills, Routledge and PSAI Press, 2010, 490pp
Ireland in, editor(s)Dieter Nohlen and Philip Stöver , Elections in Europe: a data handbook, Baden-Baden, Nomos, 2010, pp987 - 1025, [Michael Gallagher and Liam Weeks]
Michael Gallagher, Irish Elections 1948-77: results and analysis, 1st, Abingdon, Routledge, 2009, 1 - 432pp
Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh eds, How Ireland Voted 2007: The Full Story of Ireland's General Election, 1st, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008, 259pp
The earthquake that never happened: analysis of the results in, Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh , How Ireland Voted 2008, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008, 78 - 104, [Michael Gallagher]
Séin Ó Muineacháin and Michael Gallagher, The parliamentary election in Ireland, May 2007, Electoral Studies, 27, (1), 2008, p151 - 154
Michael Gallagher and Paul Mitchell (editors), The Politics of Electoral Systems, paperback, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2008, 662 + xxxii pp
The election as horse race: betting and the election in, Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh , How Ireland Voted 2007, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008, 148 - 166, [Michael Gallagher]
Conclusion in, Michael Gallagher and Paul Mitchell , The Politics of Electoral Systems, Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press, 2005, 535 - 578, [Michael Gallagher]
John Coakley and Michael Gallagher (eds), Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 4th, Abingdon, Routledge and PSAI Press, 2005, 504 pp
The constituency role of Dáil deputies in, John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland, Abingdon, Routledge and PSAI Press, 2005, 242 - 271, [Michael Gallagher and Lee Komito]
Ireland: the discreet charm of PR-STV in, Michael Gallagher and Paul Mitchell , The Politics of Electoral Systems, Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press, 2005, 511 - 532, [Michael Gallagher]
Parliament in, John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland, Abingdon, Routledge and PSAI Press, 2005, 211 - 241, [Michael Gallagher]
Michael Gallagher and Paul Mitchell (editors), The Politics of Electoral Systems, Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press, 2005, 668 pp
The constitution and the judiciary in, John Coakley and Michael Gallagher , Politics in the Republic of Ireland, Abingdon, Routledge and PSAI Press, 2005, 72 - 101, [Michael Gallagher]
Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh, Party membership in Ireland: the members of Fine Gael, Party Politics, 10, (4), 2004, p407 - 425
Michael Gallagher, Referendum e campagne referendarie in Irlanda, Quaderni dell'Osservatorio Elettorale, 52, (1), 2004, p61 - 82
Michael Gallagher and Ian Holliday, Electoral systems, representational roles and legislator behaviour: evidence from Hong Kong, New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies, 5, (1), 2003, p107 - 120
Michael Gallagher, Michael Marsh and Paul Mitchell (eds), How Ireland Voted 2002, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2003, 276pp
Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh, Days of Blue Loyalty: the politics of membership of the Fine Gael party, Dublin, PSAI Press, 2002, 287 pp
Michael Gallagher, Vanessa Liston, Michael Marsh, Liam Weeks, Explaining activism levels among Fine Gael members: a test of the general incentives model, Irish Political Studies, Vol. 18, 2002
Michael Gallagher, The Japanese House of Councillors election 1998 in comparative perspective, Electoral Studies, 20, (4), 2001, p603 - 625
Popular sovereignty and referendums in, editor(s)Andreas Auer and Michael Bützer , Direct Democracy: the Eastern and Central European experience, Aldershot, Ashgate, 2001, pp228 - 235, [Michael Gallagher]
The (relatively) victorious incumbent under PR-STV: legislative turnover in Ireland and Malta in, Shaun Bowler and Bernard Grofman , Elections in Australia, Ireland, and Malta under the Single Transferable Vote, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, 2000, 81 - 113, [Michael Gallagher]
Michael Gallagher, The political impact of electoral system change in Japan and New Zealand 1996, Party Politics, 4, (2), 1998, p201 - 226
Michael Gallagher and Pier Vincenzo Uleri (eds), The Referendum Experience in Europe, Basingstoke, Macmillan, 1996, 263pp
Michael Laver, Michael Gallagher, Michael Marsh, Robert Singh, Ben Tonra, Electing the President of the European Commission, Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, 1995, 1-64
Michael Gallagher, How many nations are there in Ireland?, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 18, (4), 1995, p715 - 739
Michael Gallagher, Comparing proportional representation electoral systems: quotas, thresholds, paradoxes and majorities, British Journal of Political Science, 22, (4), 1992, p469 - 496
Michael Gallagher, Proportionality, disproportionality and electoral systems, Electoral Studies, 10, (1), 1991, p33 - 51
Michael Gallagher, Do Ulster Unionists have a right to self-determination?, Irish Political Studies, 5, 1990, p11 - 30
Michael Gallagher and Michael Marsh (eds), Candidate Selection in Comparative Perspective: the secret garden of politics, London and Beverly Hills, Sage, 1988, 294pp
Michael Gallagher, Does Ireland need a new electoral system?, Irish Political Studies, 2, 1987, p27 - 48
Michael Gallagher, Social backgrounds and local orientations of members of the Irish Dáil, Legislative Studies Quarterly, 10, (3), 1985, p373 - 394
Michael Gallagher, Political Parties in the Republic of Ireland, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1985, 174pp
Michael Gallagher, 166 who rule: the Dáil deputies of November 1982, Economic and Social Review, 15, (4), 1984, p241 - 264
Michael Gallagher, The Irish Labour Party in Transition, 1957-1982, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1982, 326pp
Michael Gallagher, Societal change and party adaptation in the Republic of Ireland 1960-1981, European Journal of Political Research, 9, (3), 1981, p269 - 285
Michael Gallagher, Candidate selection in Ireland: the impact of localism and the electoral system, British Journal of Political Science, 10, (4), 1980, p489 - 503
Michael Gallagher, The pact general election of 1922, Irish Historical Studies, 21, (84), 1979, p404 - 421
Michael Gallagher, The impact of lower preference votes on Irish parliamentary elections, 1922-1977, Economic and Social Review, 11, (1), 1979, p19 - 32
Michael Gallagher, Party solidarity, exclusivity and inter-party relationships in Ireland 1922-1977: the evidence of transfers, Economic and Social Review, 10, (1), 1978, p1 - 22
Michael Gallagher, Socialism and the nationalist tradition in Ireland 1798-1918, Éire-Ireland, 12, (2), 1977, p63 - 102
Research Expertise
Description
His main specialism in a comparative context is electoral systems, which could be very broadly defined as the set of rules that structure the way in which votes at elections are cast and then convert these votes into seats. He maintains an electoral systems web site at https://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/about/people/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/index.php He is also interested in the role of political institutions generally. For a number of years he has worked on political parties, especially their internal organisation and the role of members within them. He has undertaken research on many aspects of Irish politics, and on a number of aspects of comparative European politics.Recognition
Representations
Election analyst on RTE radio for general, European and local elections since 1979; contributor to newspapers, other media and politicalreform.ie on political issues
Co-director of two workshops at annual sessions of European Consortium for Political Research
Consultancy re Kazakhstan electoral system in Almaty (Alma-Ata) on behalf of National Democratic Institute
Presented papers at conferences in 16 different countries (Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Ukraine, UK, USA)
Joint editor, Irish Political Studies
Expert witness before Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution, November 2008 and November 2009
Expert witness at Constitutional Convention, Malahide, May 2013 and June 2013
Expert witness to Committee on Electoral Reform of Canadian House of Commons, July 2016; disproportionality formula subsequently held up for display by Minister Maryam Monsef in Commons chamber on 1 December 2016.
Awards and Honours
MRIA (Member of the Royal Irish Academy)
President, Political Studies Association of Ireland
Memberships
Member, Political Studies Association of Ireland; President 1994-96; vice-president 1992-94; secretary 1988-92; committee member 1986-87, 2003-05;
Past or present member of editorial boards of a number of journals including: Austrian Journal of Political Science, Electoral Studies, European Journal of Political Research, Irish Political Studies, Parliamentary Affairs, Party Politics, Representation
Member, Political Studies Association (UK)
Member, Elections, Public Opinion and Parties group (EPOP)
Member, Comparative Electoral Systems group of International Political Science Association, past committee member