Latest Cevipof news

Vote de barrage, retour au parlementarisme, affaiblissement de la fonction présidentielle : l'éclairage des politologues du CEVIPOF pour appréhender une situation politique inédite.

Researchers at Cevipof have deciphered the results of the first round of the French legislative election as an aid to both French and international readers as they reflect on the outcome of this milestone moment in French electoral history.

Tracking and analysing populations’ reactions to this unprecedented global pandemic is essential. But in order to understand their underlying foundations, it is crucial to be able to compare these reactions between multiple countries. This comparative study is precisely what the CEVIPOF has decided to undertake with “Attitudes Towards Covid 19”, a research project based on surveys conducted in more than 18 countries - from Canada to South Africa to France and New Zealand. On an unprecedented scale, this survey makes it possible to understand the reactions and behaviour of citizens towards political and institutional decisions in matters of health, the economy, or even civil liberties. So much data that has already proved invaluable in guiding public figures in their arguments and recommendations. Interview with Martial Foucault, Director of the CEVIPOF and co-coordinator of the study with Sylvain Brouard, research director.

Denigrated when used to select students in some university programmes, or appreciated as a means to breathe new life into democracy, random draws are controversial. In his book “Le Tirage au sort: Comment l’utiliser" (FR) [The Random Draw: How to Use It], CEVIPOF researcher Gil Delannoi (FR) presents its characteristics and the many ways of implementing it. After outlining the factors determining the quality of a random draw, he calls for its judicious implementation in our institutions. Gil Delannoi is convinced that a well-designed random draw can enrich democracy.

Recent claims of the world’s first gene-edited babies have sparked a strong response, to say the least. In particular, the Southern University of Science and Technology, which employs the researcher involved, He Jiankui, stated in a press release that they were not aware of his work, that it took place off campus, and that it was a case of potential scientific misconduct that would not go unaddressed.

One would think that the era of beliefs has passed in our societies, which are steeped in secularism and weary of ideologies. Such is not the case. Under new forms and through new avenues, believing and making others believe remain vibrant. This phenomenon is described and explained in the collective work “Croire et faire croire. Usages politiques de la croyance” [Believing and making others believe.