Staff profile

My work focuses on electoral representation, with an additional interest in the politics of energy and climate. I study the behaviour of various actors of electoral representation, such as citizens at elections and their representatives in parliaments. Methodologically, I am interested in causal inference with observational and experimental data, textual analysis, and surveys.

Before joining Durham University, I was a post-doctoral researcher first at the University of Lucerne and then at the University of Oslo. I completed my PhD in 2017 at the University of Vienna. During my PhD, I was based at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Vienna, which funded my studies.

PhD Supervision

I am available to supervise PhD students. I welcome inquiries from prospective students, in Comparative Politics in general and in the areas listed below. Feel free to reach out to discuss potential research projects and supervision opportunities.

• Representation
• Public Opinion
• Electoral Behaviour
• Legislative Behaviour
• Environmental Politics

• 2024: Advance HE Fellowship:
• 2021: Journal of Contemporary European Studies Prize: Winner (2021), with Dr Katrin Auel
• 2020: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Certificate, University of Oslo
• 2015: PADEMIA Student Paper Award: Winner (2015)

Journal Article

• Translating the complexity of EU differentiation: a comparative analysis of news coverage in Germany, Denmark, and the UK
  
  Umit, R., Michailidou, A., & Trenz, H. (2024). Translating the complexity of EU differentiation: a comparative analysis of news coverage in Germany, Denmark, and the UK. Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 32(4), 1273-1290. https://doi.org/10.1080/14782804.2024.2348161
• Legislator Dissent Does Not Affect Electoral Outcomes
  
  Cowley, P., & Umit, R. (2023). Legislator Dissent Does Not Affect Electoral Outcomes. British Journal of Political Science, 53(2), 789-795. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007123422000618
• Public support for national vs. international climate change obligations
  
  Schaffer, L. M., & Umit, R. (2023). Public support for national vs. international climate change obligations. Journal of European Public Policy, 30(3), 537-573. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2022.2099957
• Wind Turbines, Public Acceptance, and Electoral Outcomes
  
  Umit, R., & Schaffer, L. M. (2022). Wind Turbines, Public Acceptance, and Electoral Outcomes. Swiss Political Science Review, 28(4), 712-727. https://doi.org/10.1111/spsr.12521