Michael Bruter is a Professor of political science at LSE and Director of the Electoral Psychology Observatory. He has developed a distinguished research profile in the sub-field of voters’ psychology, political behaviour, and political science research methods.

Bruter has been the recipient of over €5 million in research grants to lead projects in electoral psychology, first time voters, and electoral hostility (why people hate each other because of elections and how to resolve the resulting rifts), using a broad range of innovative quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

He has also served as expert witness on cases pertaining to voters’ psychology tried by the Irish High Court and Irish Supreme Court, given keynote speeches to the EU-Canada meeting on youth participation, the Council of Europe-European Commission cross-group on young voters, events at the European Parliament and the House of Lords, and advised and worked with multiple Electoral Commissions.

Bruter’s latest book, co-authored with Sarah Harrison is entitled “Inside the Mind of a Voter” and will be published by Princeton University Press in 2020. He has also published another seven books, and numerous articles in such journals as Comparative Political Studies, Public Choice, Nature: Human Behaviour, American Behavioural Scientist, Journal of Common Market Studies, Journal of European Public Policy, etc. and numerous chapters on voters’ psychology, political behaviour, identity, and social science research methods.

Expertise: electoral psychology; electoral ergonomics; political behaviour, political science; voter's psychology

LSE Consulting projects:

• Study on Participation of Citizens with Disabilities in Elections
  December 2023

  Client: European Commission - DG for Justice and Consumers
  Authors: Sandra Obradovic, Giulia Gentile and Michael Bruter

• Study on E-Voting Practices in the EU
  December 2023
  
  Client: European Commission - DG for Justice and Consumers 
  Authors: Sarah Harrison, Elisabet Vives, Giulia Gentile and Michael Bruter

• The Conference on the Future of Europe: Putting Local and Regional Authorities at the Heart of European Democratic Renewal
  October 2021

  Client: European Committee of the Regions
  Authors: Michael Bruter, Sarah Harrison, Miriam Sorace and Elisabet Vives

• The Big Conversation - Climate Change
  May 2021

  Client: British Council
  Authors: Michael Bruter, Sarah Harrison, Sandra Obradović and Elisabet Vives

• The Big Conversation Research Pilot
  April 2021

  Client: British Council
  Authors: Michael Bruter, Sarah Harrison, Sandra Obradović and Elisabet Vives

• Reflecting on the future of the European Union: The view from local and regional authorities
  January 2018
  
  Client: European Committee of the Regions
  Authors: Michael Bruter, Sarah Harrison & Federica Bicchi

• Youth Participation in Democratic Life
  February 2013
  
  Client: Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency
  LSE Project coordinator: Bart Cammaerts
  LSE Researchers: Nick Anstead, Shaku Banaji, Michael Bruter & Sarah Harrison