The Methodological Debate in Studies of Policy Congruence: A review of the international literature

Abstract

Introduction:

The bibliographic essay analyzes the international literature dedicated to empirically investigating the degree of congruence between the political preferences of voters and their representatives. The paper reviews the main topics of the methodological debate in this literature.

Materials and Methods:

We discuss the most influential articles in that debate, that is, the most cited and/or those whose methodological proposals were most used in later studies. The emphasis is in the comparison of the advantages and disadvantages assigned to the use of different sources and kinds of information for estimate those preferences and to the use of several indicators for calculate the degree of congruence between the preferences of the actors involved in the representational relationship.

Results:

At the end a balance is made, pointing out the methodological strategies considered most promising for this type of analysis.

Discussion:

It is expected that this review may encourage the development of this type of studies, still very incipient in Brazil and represent, for interested researchers, a shortcut to the understanding of the methodological aspects involved.

Keywords:
political representation; policy congruence; public opinion; representatives’ policy preferences; methodology