In this season we look at different issues surrounding elections. In the seventh episode we talk to Joshua Townsley from the University of Kent about campaigning. There is lots of research about campaigning in politics, but what do we actually know about its effectiveness. We talk about how parties aim to mobilise their supporters and the impact of the internet and social media.

The University of Kent Q-Step Centre is part of a multi-million pound national initiative to foster a step change in the quantitative and statistical skills of social sciences undergraduates. For more information, see our website: www.kent.ac.uk/qstep/. Tweet us at @UniKentQstep

Intro and Outro Music Credits: Massive Attack - Poddington Bear. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

In this season we look at different issues surrounding elections. In the sixth episode we talk to Dr. Erik Gahner Larsen from the University of Kent about opinion polling. How do opinion polls work and how do they benefit our understanding of human behaviour. We discuss in particular how the media can improve at reporting polls around election time.

The University of Kent Q-Step Centre is part of a multi-million pound national initiative to foster a step change in the quantitative and statistical skills of social sciences undergraduates. For more information, see our website: www.kent.ac.uk/qstep/. Tweet us at @UniKentQstep

Intro and Outro Music Credits: Massive Attack - Poddington Bear. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

In this season we look at different issues surrounding elections. In the fifth episode we talk to Professor Robert S. Erikson from Columbia University about the upcoming US Midterm Elections. With all 435 seats in the house of representatives and 35 seats in the senate being contested, there are a range of possible outcomes, all of which would have a lasting effect on the country and the current government. How will both parties do? And will Donald Trump's popularity ratings have an effect?

The University of Kent Q-Step Centre is part of a multi-million pound national initiative to foster a step change in the quantitative and statistical skills of social sciences undergraduates. For more information, see our website: www.kent.ac.uk/qstep/. Tweet us at @UniKentQstep

Intro and Outro Music Credits: Massive Attack - Poddington Bear. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

In this season we look at different issues surrounding elections. In the fourth episode we talk to Professor Amanda Bittner from Memorial University about leaders of political parties. From an outsider perspective it seem obvious that who leads a party would matter to voters. However the research on this does not always show that this is the case. We discuss party leaders' role in democracies and whether that role is changing.

The University of Kent Q-Step Centre is part of a multi-million pound national initiative to foster a step change in the quantitative and statistical skills of social sciences undergraduates. For more information, see our website: www.kent.ac.uk/qstep/. Tweet us at @UniKentQstep

Intro and Outro Music Credits: Massive Attack - Poddington Bear. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

In this season we look at different issues surrounding elections. In the third episode we talk to Professor Shane Singh from the University of Georgia about compulsory voting. It has been implemented in many democracies, from Australia to Brazil, but what exactly is it, what forms can it take, and how does it affect voters and political parties?

The University of Kent Q-Step Centre is part of a multi-million pound national initiative to foster a step change in the quantitative and statistical skills of social sciences undergraduates. For more information, see our website: www.kent.ac.uk/qstep/. Tweet us at @UniKentQstep

Intro and Outro Music Credits: Massive Attack - Poddington Bear. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

In this season we look at different issues surrounding elections. In the second episode we talk to Dr. Ruth Dassonneville from Université de Montréal about the changing relationship between voters and parties. We look into how voting behaviour has changed over the last few decades. Election results are more unpredictable now, with parties having less of an influence over voters than they used to. We talk about the consequences of this for democracy.

The University of Kent Q-Step Centre is part of a multi-million pound national initiative to foster a step change in the quantitative and statistical skills of social sciences undergraduates. For more information, see our website: www.kent.ac.uk/qstep/. Tweet us at @UniKentQstep

Intro and Outro Music Credits: Massive Attack - Poddington Bear. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

In this season we look at different issues surrounding elections. In the first episode we talk to Professor Matthew Goodwin from the University of Kent about Populism. We look into how he came to study this topic and what current research can tell us about Brexit, Trump, the rise of the far-right in Europe, and other related phenomena.

The University of Kent Q-Step Centre is part of a multi-million pound national initiative to foster a step change in the quantitative and statistical skills of social sciences undergraduates. For more information, see our website: www.kent.ac.uk/qstep/. Tweet us at @UniKentQstep

Intro and Outro Music Credits: Massive Attack - Poddington Bear. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

We have a new season coming your way soon. In it we talk to researchers about issues in contemporary elections and ask the question, how is democracy holding up, and is it changing?

How to Win Arguments is a podcast produced by the University of Kent's Q-Step Centre. It explores how we can, and do, use numbers and statistics to understand the modern world.

The University of Kent Q-Step Centre is part of a multi-million pound national initiative to foster a step change in the quantitative and statistical skills of social sciences undergraduates. For more information, see our website: www.kent.ac.uk/qstep/

Intro and Outro Music Credits: Massive Attack - Poddington Bear. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution License.