The new research agenda studying electoral integrity

A rapidly-growing research agenda shared by scholars and applied policy analysts is beginning to explore three questions: when do elections meet standards of electoral integrity? When do they fail to do so? And what can be done to mitigate these problems?To address these issues, Part 1 in this paper outlines the concept of electoral integrity, proposing a comprehensive and broad definition founded upon global norms and international conventions. Part 2 argues that several sub-fields contribute towards the study of electoral integrity, although commonly fragmented at present, including (i) public sector management; (ii) political culture; (iii) comparative institutions; and (iv) security studies. The emerging research agenda focused on electoral integrity, cutting across these conventional disciplinary boundaries, is characterized by its problem-oriented focus and global comparative framework, as well as by its use of pluralistic methods and analytical techniques. Part 3 outlines the contribution of papers in this symposium. The conclusion summarizes the key features of this new research agenda studying electoral integrity.