A view of singleton campus including singleton park and the beach, with the sea stretching into the horizon.

Dr Bettina Petersohn

Lecturer in Politics

Politics Philosophy and International Relations

+44 (0) 1792 602127

b.petersohn@abertawe.ac.uk

019
Llawr Gwaelod
James Callaghan
Campws Singleton

Ar gael ar gyfer Goruchwyliaeth Ôl-raddedig

Dolenni Ymchwil

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8447-8340

Trosolwg

Mae fy niddordebau ymchwil ym maes ffederaliaeth gymharol, cydgysylltu rhynglywodraethol a llywodraeth leol a chynnwys cenhedloedd mewnol mewn cymdeithasau amrywiol. Roeddwn yn Gyd-Ymchwilydd ar brosiect ymchwil ‘Dynamics of group conflicts in multinational, multi-level states’ ym Mhrifysgol Konstanz (Prif Ymchwilydd: Yr Athro Nathalie Behnke) a oedd yn ymchwilio i’r cysylltiadau rhwng pleidiau rhanbarthol anwladwriaethol a datganoli sy’n hunanatgyfnerthu. Cyn dod i Brifysgol Abertawe, gweithiais fel Cymrawd Ymchwil ôl-ddoethurol ym Mhrifysgol Caeredin ar brosiect ymchwil a ariannwyd gan ESRC, ‘The Future of the UK and Scotland’ yn wyneb Refferendwm Annibyniaeth yr Alban 2014.

Mae fy ymchwil wedi’i chyhoeddi mewn cylchgronau rhyngwladol blaenllaw fel Publius, Regional & Federal Studies a Political Quarterly a gydag Oxford University Press. Yn 2017, roeddwn yn olygydd gwadd ar rifyn arbennig o Publius: The Journal of Federalism ar ‘Territorial Politics and Institutional Change: A Comparative-Historical Analysis’, ar y cyd â Jörg Broschek (Prifysgol Wilfried Laurier) a Simon Toubeau (Prifysgol Nottingham).

Meysydd Arbenigedd

Ffederaliaeth gymharol
Cydlynu llywodraeth Leol
Atebolrwydd mewn systemau aml-lefel
Cynnwys cenhedloedd mewnol

Cyhoeddiadau

Uchafbwyntiau Ymchwil

Broschek, J., Petersohn, B., & Toubeau, S. (2017). Territorial Politics and Institutional Change: A Comparative-Historical Analysis. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 48(1), 1-25.
https://doi.org/10.1093/publius/pjx059, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa37278
Benz, A., Heinz, D., Hornig, E., Fischer-Hotzel, A., Kemmerzell, J., & Petersohn, B. (2016). Constitutional Policy in Multilevel Government. The Art of Keeping the Balance (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198786078.001.0001, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33970
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/constitutional-policy-in-multilevel-government-9780198786078?cc=gb&lang=en&#
McEwen, N. & Petersohn, B. (2015). Between Autonomy and Interdependence: The Challenges of Shared Rule after the Scottish Referendum. The Political Quarterly, 86(2), 192-200.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-923X.12162, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa28338
Petersohn, B., Behnke, N., & Rhode, E. (2015). Negotiating Territorial Change in Multinational States: Party Preferences, Negotiating Power and the Role of the Negotiation Mode. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 45(4), 626-652.
https://doi.org/10.1093/publius/pjv016, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa28337
Petersohn, B. (2012). The 2012 Landtag Election in Saarland: The End of a Coalition Experiment. Regional & Federal Studies, 22(4), 499-507.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2012.725658, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33973

Holl Ymchwil

Erthyglau Cylchgronau

Broschek, J., Petersohn, B., & Toubeau, S. (2017). Territorial Politics and Institutional Change: A Comparative-Historical Analysis. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 48(1), 1-25.
https://doi.org/10.1093/publius/pjx059, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa37278
McEwen, N. & Petersohn, B. (2015). Between Autonomy and Interdependence: The Challenges of Shared Rule after the Scottish Referendum. The Political Quarterly, 86(2), 192-200.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-923X.12162, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa28338
Petersohn, B., Behnke, N., & Rhode, E. (2015). Negotiating Territorial Change in Multinational States: Party Preferences, Negotiating Power and the Role of the Negotiation Mode. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 45(4), 626-652.
https://doi.org/10.1093/publius/pjv016, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa28337
Petersohn, B. (2012). The 2012 Landtag Election in Saarland: The End of a Coalition Experiment. Regional & Federal Studies, 22(4), 499-507.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2012.725658, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33973
Behnke, N., Petersohn, B., Fischer-Hotzel, A., & Heinz, D. (2011). Measuring Success of Constitutional Reforms. Evidence from territorial reforms in eight Western democracies. Regional & Federal Studies, 21(4-5), 447-477.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2011.578935, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33974

Llyfrau Awdurol

Benz, A., Heinz, D., Hornig, E., Fischer-Hotzel, A., Kemmerzell, J., & Petersohn, B. (2016). Constitutional Policy in Multilevel Government. The Art of Keeping the Balance (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198786078.001.0001, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa33970
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/constitutional-policy-in-multilevel-government-9780198786078?cc=gb&lang=en&#

Penodau Llyfrau

Behnke, N. & Petersohn, B. (2025). Introduction: Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination—A Conceptual Framework. In Nathalie Behnke Bettina Petersohn (Ed.), Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination at Local and Regional Levels (pp. 3-21). Springer Nature Switzerland
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83567-4_1, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71668
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83567-4_1
Petersohn, B. (2025). United Kingdom: Challenges of Horizontal Coordination Within the Context of Asymmetric Devolution. In Nathalie Behnke / Bettina Petersohn (Ed.), Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination at Local and Regional Levels (pp. 349-373). Springer Nature Switzerland
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83567-4_18, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71669
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83567-4_18
Petersohn, B. & Behnke, N. (2025). Conclusion: Patterns and Drivers of Horizontal Coordination—Insights from a Comparative Perspective. In Nathalie Behnke / Bettina Petersohn (Ed.), Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination at Local and Regional Levels (pp. 445-465). Springer Nature Switzerland
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83567-4_25, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71670
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83567-4_25

Goruchwyliaeth

An analysis of the role of place and social class for people's political loyalties in Britain (to be revised) New title: Class, Place and the Experience of Being Left Behind: Rethinking Political Loyalty in Britain (cyfredol)

PhD

Goruchwyliwr arall: Dr Gideon Calder
Towards a New Ontology of Polling Inaccuracy: The Predictive Benefits of Conceiving of Elections as Discontinuous Phenomena for the Study of Pre-election Polling Error (dyfarnwyd 2023)

PhD

Goruchwyliwr arall: Prof Matthew Wall
Public Service Motivation of Firstline Managers and Employees in Health and Social Welfare Services of Public and Non-Profit Organizations in The Bahamas (dyfarnwyd 2024)

PhD

Goruchwyliwr arall: Dr Dion Curry

Modiwlau a Addysgir

PO-209 The State and Political Institutions

This module allows participants to explore and scrutinize some of the key contemporary debates on the state and political institution within the framework of comparative political science ¿ or comparative politics. Comparative politics involves describing, comparing, and explaining political phenomena around the world. It asks questions such as how do different countries¿ political systems compare to one another and why are they similar or different? Why are some countries democratic while others are authoritarian? How do states become democratic? What effect does having a presidential form of government rather than a parliamentary one have on public policy outputs? How do rules for elections differ across countries and what effects do they have on politics? Why do some countries have a multiparty political system while others have a two-party system? This course will help you answer these questions and will provide you with the tools to tackle more complex questions in comparative politics. Rather than studying a handful of countries in detail, we will concentrate on taking a scientific approach to studying comparative politics. We will emphasize important concepts, theories, and empirical questions and research findings. You will have the opportunity to focus on politics in one specific country (see country assignments below). However, the goal is not to make you experts on specific countries, but rather to give you the tools to study countries comparatively and help you to understand why politics looks the way it does around the world.
PO-209A The State and Political Institutions

This module allows participants to explore and scrutinize some of the key contemporary debates on the state and political institution within the framework of comparative political science ¿ or comparative politics. Comparative politics involves describing, comparing, and explaining political phenomena around the world. It asks questions such as how do different countries¿ political systems compare to one another and why are they similar or different? Why are some countries democratic while others are authoritarian? How do states become democratic? What effect does having a presidential form of government rather than a parliamentary one have on public policy outputs? How do rules for elections differ across countries and what effects do they have on politics? Why do some countries have a multiparty political system while others have a two-party system? This course will help you answer these questions and will provide you with the tools to tackle more complex questions in comparative politics. Rather than studying a handful of countries in detail, we will concentrate on taking a scientific approach to studying comparative politics. We will emphasize important concepts, theories, and empirical questions and research findings. You will have the opportunity to focus on politics in one specific country (see country assignments below). However, the goal is not to make you experts on specific countries, but rather to give you the tools to study countries comparatively and help you to understand why politics looks the way it does around the world.
PO-249 Global Summit Simulation

`A Global Summit is to be held bringing together leaders of governments and states to negotiate a new peace agreement, trade deal, or climate goals. Each leader has their own interests based on the situation in their country (military, economic, public opinion) but some have a stronger interest in coming out of the Summit with a new agreement than others. Against the backdrop of an active, mobilised global civil society campaigning for change in people¿s lives (e.g. peace, prosperity, sustainability), government leaders come together for a two day Summit behind closed doors to find common ground and negotiate an agreement.¿ This module is practice-oriented and provides an opportunity for students to investigate real-world actors and their interests on a selected global issue. Each year, one global issue will take centre stage for the simulated negotiation following the format of a Global Summit. Individually or in small groups, students will develop a strategy for the assigned actor argue, defend and try to find common ground during the 2-day negotiations at the Summit.
PO-3329 Project - Global Challenges

This module serves as the Capstone final year project course for the Leadership for Global Challenges programme. The module allows students to undertake in-depth and applied research project on an academic or practical topic. Students undertake an independent research project in small groups. Each group will be provided with a project from a real organisation / office (your project provider) that has been facilitated by the employability team. The project will be focused on solving a real challenge identified by your project provider. These are real challenges that the provider needs assistance with. The student¿s role is to work in a group and to use their academic knowledge and primary research to address the challenge, generating a report with recommendations evidenced by data and academic analysis. The module runs across two terms. In the first term, students will learn about key stages of the policy-making process and discuss ways in which different actors can influence the process. Students are tasked to research the given problem, identify feasible solutions, research the potential impact of these solutions, and give recommendations to the project provider based on their research findings.
PO-M85 Democracy and Constitutional Design

Constitutions and institutional design provide the foundation on which democratic governance rests but they also have consequences on performance of democratic regimes. Different waves of democratisation have occurred since the 1970s resulting in an increase in electoral democracies worldwide. Despite this long-term trend, observers question the quality of democratic governance even in Western societies, while others suggest that liberal democracy is `in decline¿ or under threat around the world. The rise of populist parties has destabilized established patterns of party competition and threatened ideals of liberal democracy such as equality and human rights. Events during the `Arab Spring¿ highlighted the challenges of building stable democratic institutions and ensuring peace and effective governance in the region. Elsewhere around the world many states have also experienced only partial or unstable steps towards democratic elections, and then reversed these steps, for example in Turkey or Venezuela. The course covers the principles and processes of constitutional design, the basic governing institutions of states, and compares processes of institutional choices and their consequences for welfare, democratic rights, peace and prosperity. In particular, we will address the following questions: How do processes and goals of constitutional design compare across cases? What mechanisms of institutional design can be implemented to strengthen accountability, participation or representation? What consequences do institutional choices have for good governance and the quality of democracies? By the end of the module, students will be familiar with the primary debates regarding democracy and democratic institutions in comparative politics. They will gain a comprehensive understanding of theoretical debates about as well as practical implications of institutional choices. Students will be able to situate debates about importing democratic institutions or reforming existing institutions into a broader theoretical and comparative context.

Hanes Gyrfa

Cymrawd Ymchwil ôl-ddoethurol, Prifysgol Caeredin / Centre on Constitutional Change

Ionawr 2014 - Awst 2015
Ymchwilydd ôl-ddoethurol, Prifysgol Konstanz

Ebrill 2012 - Rhagfyr 2013

Grantiau a Phrosiectau Allweddol

Dynamics of group conflicts in multinational, multi-level states 2012 - 2014

gyda’r Athro Nathalie Behnke, ym Mhrifysgol Konstanz, Menter Rhagoriaeth DFG – EXC16, € 150,000

Dr Bettina Petersohn

Rhif ffôn

Cyfeiriad ebost

Twitter Account

LinkedIn Account

Dolenni Ymchwil

Trosolwg

Meysydd Arbenigedd

Uchafbwyntiau Ymchwil

Holl Ymchwil

An analysis of the role of place and social class for people's political loyalties in Britain (to be revised) New title: Class, Place and the Experience of Being Left Behind: Rethinking Political Loyalty in Britain (cyfredol)

Towards a New Ontology of Polling Inaccuracy: The Predictive Benefits of Conceiving of Elections as Discontinuous Phenomena for the Study of Pre-election Polling Error (dyfarnwyd 2023)

Public Service Motivation of Firstline Managers and Employees in Health and Social Welfare Services of Public and Non-Profit Organizations in The Bahamas (dyfarnwyd 2024)

PO-209 The State and Political Institutions

PO-209A The State and Political Institutions

PO-249 Global Summit Simulation

PO-3329 Project - Global Challenges

PO-M85 Democracy and Constitutional Design

Cymrawd Ymchwil ôl-ddoethurol, Prifysgol Caeredin / Centre on Constitutional Change

Ymchwilydd ôl-ddoethurol, Prifysgol Konstanz

Dynamics of group conflicts in multinational, multi-level states 2012 - 2014