IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/eeupol/v24y2023i2p410-423.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Who talks to whom? Using social network models to understand debate networks in the European Parliament

Author

Listed:
  • Stefanie Walter

    (Department of Governance, TUM School of Social Science and Technology, 9184Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany)

  • Lucy Kinski

    (Salzburg Centre of European Union Studies, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria)

  • Zsófia Boda

    (Department of Sociology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
    Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK)

Abstract

Research into parliamentary speech making–behaviour of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) usually takes a static perspective. We offer an interactive and dynamic approach that understands parliamentary debates as a relational network phenomenon and investigates MEPs’ debate interactions. This allows us to uncover dynamics of inclusiveness and pluralism, self-reinforcing power relationships and transnational policy alliances. Analyzing 11,408 debate interactions between MEPs using a combination of text and dynamic network analysis, we find that male, senior and influential parliamentarians from powerful member states receive more attention with evidence for a self-reinforcing effect over time. Interestingly, seniority matters more for debate attention than leadership positions. Sharing the same nationality and a similar political leaning also shape debate coalitions with the former being more important than the latter.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefanie Walter & Lucy Kinski & Zsófia Boda, 2023. "Who talks to whom? Using social network models to understand debate networks in the European Parliament," European Union Politics, , vol. 24(2), pages 410-423, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:24:y:2023:i:2:p:410-423
    DOI: 10.1177/14651165221137994
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14651165221137994
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/14651165221137994?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ringe, Nils & Victor, Jennifer Nicoll & Gross, Justin H., 2013. "Keeping Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer? Information Networks in Legislative Politics," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 601-628, July.
    2. Greene, Derek & Cross, James P., 2017. "Exploring the Political Agenda of the European Parliament Using a Dynamic Topic Modeling Approach," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(1), pages 77-94, January.
    3. Malang, Thomas & Brandenberger, Laurence & Leifeld, Philip, 2019. "Networks and Social Influence in European Legislative Politics," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(4), pages 1475-1498, October.
    4. Proksch, Sven-Oliver & Slapin, Jonathan B., 2010. "Position Taking in European Parliament Speeches," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 40(3), pages 587-611, July.
    5. Finnemore, Martha & Sikkink, Kathryn, 1998. "International Norm Dynamics and Political Change," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(4), pages 887-917, October.
    6. Zoe Lefkofridi & Alexia Katsanidou, 2018. "A Step Closer to a Transnational Party System? Competition and Coherence in the 2009 and 2014 European Parliament," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(6), pages 1462-1482, September.
    7. Elisabeth R. Gerber & Adam Douglas Henry & Mark Lubell, 2013. "Political Homophily and Collaboration in Regional Planning Networks," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 57(3), pages 598-610, July.
    8. Damien Pennetreau & Thomas Laloux, 2021. "Talkin’ ‘bout a Negotiation: (Un)Transparent Rapporteurs’ Speeches in the European Parliament," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 248-260.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marco Grasso & J. David Tàbara, 2019. "Towards a Moral Compass to Guide Sustainability Transformations in a High-End Climate Change World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-16, May.
    2. Thereza RS de Aguiar, 2018. "Turning accounting for emissions rights inside out as well as upside down," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 36(1), pages 139-159, February.
    3. Jennifer Bickham Mendez, 2002. "Organizing a Space of their Own? Global/Local Processes in a Nicaraguan Women’s Organization," Journal of Developing Societies, , vol. 18(2-3), pages 196-227, June.
    4. Pedi Revecca & Sarri Katerina, 2019. "From the ‘Small but Smart State’ to the ‘Small and Entrepreneurial State’: Introducing a Framework for Effective Small State Strategies within the EU and Beyond," TalTech Journal of European Studies, Sciendo, vol. 9(1), pages 3-19, June.
    5. Moch Faisal Karim, 2017. "Integrating European Muslims Through Discourse? Understanding the Development and Limitations of Euro-Islam in Europe," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 993-1011, November.
    6. Kikuta,Kyosuke & Hanayama,Manaho, 2023. "Does the Nobel Peace Prize Improve Women’s Rights? Prize and Praise in International Relations," IDE Discussion Papers 903, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    7. Galaz, V. & de Zeeuw, Aart & Shiroyama, Hideaki & Tripley, Debbie, 2016. "Planetary boundaries : Governing emerging risks and opportunities," Other publications TiSEM 0aebe291-f890-4a2d-9ab7-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    8. Bernhard Boockmann, 2003. "Mixed Motives: An Empirical Analysis of ILO Roll-Call Voting," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 263-285, December.
    9. Neil M. Dawson & Michael Mason & Janet A. Fisher & David Mujasi Mwayafu & Hari Dhungana & Heike Schroeder & Mark Zeitoun, 2018. "Norm Entrepreneurs Sidestep REDD+ in Pursuit of Just and Sustainable Forest Governance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, May.
    10. Prather, Lauren, 2024. "Ideology at the Water’s Edge: Explaining Variation in Public Support for Foreign Aid," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    11. Eero Palmujoki, 2009. "Global principles for sustainable biofuel production and trade," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 135-151, May.
    12. Kerstin Radtke, 2014. "ASEAN Enlargement and Norm Change – A Window of Opportunity for Democracy and Human Rights Entrepreneurs?," Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, Institute of Asian Studies, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 33(3), pages 79-105.
    13. Neal, Zachary & Domagalski, Rachel & Yan, Xiaoqin, 2020. "Party Control as a Context for Homophily in Collaborations among US House Representatives, 1981 -- 2015," OSF Preprints qwdxs, Center for Open Science.
    14. Holzscheiter, Anna & Bahr, Thurid & Pantzerhielm, Laura, 2016. "Emerging Governance Architectures in Global Health: Do Metagovernance Norms Explain Inter-Organisational Convergence?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 4(3), pages 5-19.
    15. Teresa Kramarz & Susan Park, 2016. "Accountability in Global Environmental Governance: A Meaningful Tool for Action?," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 16(2), pages 1-21, May.
    16. Graham, David & Woods, Ngaire, 2006. "Making corporate self-regulation effective in developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 868-883, May.
    17. Andreas Rasche & Wencke Gwozdz & Mathias Lund Larsen & Jeremy Moon, 2022. "Which firms leave multi‐stakeholder initiatives? An analysis of delistings from the United Nations Global Compact," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(1), pages 309-326, January.
    18. Kristian Berg Harpviken, 2012. "The transnationalization of the Taliban," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 15(3), pages 203-229, September.
    19. Wolfgang Wagner, 2017. "Liberal Power Europe," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(6), pages 1398-1414, November.
    20. Mai'a K. Davis Cross, 2015. "The Limits of Epistemic Communities: EU Security Agencies," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 3(1), pages 90-100.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:24:y:2023:i:2:p:410-423. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.