Home Linguistics & Semiotics From Text to the Construction of Political Party Landscapes
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

From Text to the Construction of Political Party Landscapes

A Hybrid Methodology Developed for Voting Advice Applications
  • André Krouwel and Matthew Wall
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Search
From Text to Political Positions
This chapter is in the book From Text to Political Positions

Abstract

This chapter describes a new, hybrid methodology to measure and code party positions on salient political issues. This new method combines expert-judgements based on text analysis with self-placement of parties. The resultant reliable party positions can be used to construct online applications that help voters to decide which party is closest to their own political preferences. The chapter presents the methodology used to identify salient issues and to frame these issues into statements to which users of the online tools are asked to respond. Furthermore, consideration is given to how relevant party documentation is identified and how these textual sources are used to calibrate political parties on the issues. Finally, the chapter discusses the methodological problems of aggregating voters’ opinions into an easy-to-understand output.

Abstract

This chapter describes a new, hybrid methodology to measure and code party positions on salient political issues. This new method combines expert-judgements based on text analysis with self-placement of parties. The resultant reliable party positions can be used to construct online applications that help voters to decide which party is closest to their own political preferences. The chapter presents the methodology used to identify salient issues and to frame these issues into statements to which users of the online tools are asked to respond. Furthermore, consideration is given to how relevant party documentation is identified and how these textual sources are used to calibrate political parties on the issues. Finally, the chapter discusses the methodological problems of aggregating voters’ opinions into an easy-to-understand output.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Foreword vii
  4. Positions of Parties and Political Cleavages between Parties in Texts 1
  5. PART I. Computational Methods for Political Text Analysis
  6. PART I: Introduction 23
  7. Comparing the Position of Canadian Political Parties using French and English Manifestos as Textual Data 27
  8. Leveraging Textual Sentiment Analysis with Social Network Modelling 47
  9. Issue Framing and Language Use in the Swedish Blogosphere 71
  10. Text to Ideology or Text to Party Status? 93
  11. Sentiment Analysis in Parliamentary Proceedings 117
  12. The Qualitative Analysis of Political Documents 135
  13. PART II. From Text to Political Positions via Discourse Analysis
  14. PART II: Introduction 163
  15. The Potential of Narrative Strategies in the Discursive Construction of Hegemonic Positions and Social Change 171
  16. Christians, Feminists, Liberals, Socialists, Workers and Employers 189
  17. Between Union and a United Ireland 207
  18. Systematic Stylistic Analysis 225
  19. Participation and recontextualisation in New Media 245
  20. PART III. Converging methods
  21. PART III: Introduction 271
  22. From Text to the Construction of Political Party Landscapes 275
  23. From Text to Political Positions 297
  24. About the authors 325
  25. Index 331
https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.55.13kro

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Foreword vii
  4. Positions of Parties and Political Cleavages between Parties in Texts 1
  5. PART I. Computational Methods for Political Text Analysis
  6. PART I: Introduction 23
  7. Comparing the Position of Canadian Political Parties using French and English Manifestos as Textual Data 27
  8. Leveraging Textual Sentiment Analysis with Social Network Modelling 47
  9. Issue Framing and Language Use in the Swedish Blogosphere 71
  10. Text to Ideology or Text to Party Status? 93
  11. Sentiment Analysis in Parliamentary Proceedings 117
  12. The Qualitative Analysis of Political Documents 135
  13. PART II. From Text to Political Positions via Discourse Analysis
  14. PART II: Introduction 163
  15. The Potential of Narrative Strategies in the Discursive Construction of Hegemonic Positions and Social Change 171
  16. Christians, Feminists, Liberals, Socialists, Workers and Employers 189
  17. Between Union and a United Ireland 207
  18. Systematic Stylistic Analysis 225
  19. Participation and recontextualisation in New Media 245
  20. PART III. Converging methods
  21. PART III: Introduction 271
  22. From Text to the Construction of Political Party Landscapes 275
  23. From Text to Political Positions 297
  24. About the authors 325
  25. Index 331
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 15.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/dapsac.55.13kro/html
Scroll to top button