Maria Spirova
Associate Professor
- Name
- Dr. M.S. Spirova
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 3907
- mspirova@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-6114-4353
Maria Spirova is a senior lecturer of Comparative Politics and International Relations. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and has previously studied political science at the Central European University and the American University in Bulgaria. Before coming to Leiden, Dr. Spirova taught at Gettysburg College, PA.
She works in the area of comparative politics and her research interests include political parties, party patronage and corruption and the democratic representation of ethnic minorities. In addition, she serves as book reviews editor for East European Politics.
› Curriculum vitae & publications Maria Spirova
PhD supervision
Maria Spirova is available to supervise PhD students and invites PhD research proposals in the areas of:
- political parties
- patronage, clientelism and corruption
- ethnic politics and minority policy
See for more information on PhD positions:
Associate Professor
- Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen
- Instituut Politieke Wetenschap
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2019), Clients, Patrons, and Members: Ethnic Parties and Patronage in Bulgaria and Romania. In: Ruth-Lovell S., Spirova M. (Eds.) Clientelism and Representation in Comparative Perspective. London: ECPR Press.
- Spirova M. & Sharenkova-Toshkova R. (2019), Bulgaria since 1989. In: Ramet S.P., Hassenstab C.M. (Eds.) Central and Southeast European Politics since 1989. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 449-476.
- Ruth-Lowell S.P. & Spirova M. (Eds.) (2019), Clientelism and Democratic Representation in Comparative Perspective: Rowman and Littlefield International.
- Kolarova R. (2019), Coalition Governance in Central Eastern Europe. In: Bergman T, Ilonszki G., Müller W.C. (Eds.) Coalition Governance in Central Eastern Europe..
- Spirova M. (2019), Conclusion. In: Ruth-Lowell S.P. , Spirova M. (Eds.) Clientelism and Democratic Representation in Comparative Perspective..
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2019), Patrons or Champions? The Organizational Strategies of Ethnic Parties. In: Ruth-Lowell S.P. , Spirova M. (Eds.) Clientelism and Democratic Representation in Comparative Perspective.: Rowman and Littlefield International.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2019), Semi-Structured Expert Interviews in Cross-National Research: Studying Party Patronage in Contemporary Democracies (Case), (SAGE Research Methods Cases in Political Science and International Relations). [other].
- Spirova M. & Kostadinova T. (2018), Combatting corruption. In: Fagan A., Kopecký P. (Eds.) The Routledge Handbook of East European Politics. Oxon: Routledge.
- Spirova M.S. & Casal Bértoa F. (2019), Parties between thresholds: State subsidies and party behaviour in post-communist democracies, Party Politics 25(2): 233-243.
- Kolarova R., Spirova M. & (2016), Bulgaria, European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 55(1): 36–41.
- Spirova M. (2016), Beyond the Ethnic Vote: the Movement for Rights and Freedoms in Bulgaria. In: Ramet S., Valenta M. (Eds.) Ethnic Minorities and Politics in Post-socialist South-eastern Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 154-170.
- Spirova M. (2016), Nations in Transit 2015: Bulgaria: Freedom House.
- Spirova M.S. (2016), “Nations in Transit 2016: Bulgaria". Yearly report of the Freedom House: Freedom House.
- Kopecky P., Meyer-Sahling J.H., Panizza F., Scherlis G., Schuster C. & Spirova M.S. (2016), Party patronage in contemporary democracies. Results from an expert survey in 22 countries from five regions, European Journal of Political Research 55(2): 416–431.
- Spirova M. (2016), The Movement for Rights and Freedoms in Bulgaria: Beyond the Ethnic Vote. In: Ramet S., Valenta M. (Eds.) Ethnic minorities and politics in post-socialist South-eastern Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 154-169.
- Spirova M. (2015), Book review of Margit Tavits’ Post-Communist democracies and party organization Review of: Tavits M. (2013) Post-Communist democracies and party organization, Slavic Review 74(4): 912-913.
- Spirova M. (2015), Bulgaria, European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 54(1): 44-53.
- Spirova M. (2015), Bulgaria. In: Habdank-Kolaczkowska S., Csaky Z. (Eds.) Freedom House Nations in Transit 2014: Democratization from Central Europe to Eurasia. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield. 161-182.
- Spirova M. & Bergman T. (2015), Caretaker governments – definitions and classifications. Paper presented at the “Vague concepts and poor operationalization – solutions to measurement problems in studies of government formation”, Arlanda Airport, Stockholm, 16-18 september 2015. Stockholm.
- Spirova M. & Kopecky P. (2015), Party patronage East and West: is party patronage a post-communist phenomenon? Paper presented at the CES Conference, Paris, 8-10 July 2015. Paris.
- Spirova M. & Bakker F.E. (2015), Vote where your heart is: Ethnic voting in the European Union. Paper presented at the 8th International Conference on Transatlantic Studies Democracy and Electoral Systems, Alcalá de Henares, 22-23 October 2015. Alcalá de Henares.
- Spirova M. & Zankina E. (20 November 2014), Mission impossible in Bulgaria. Mission impossible in Bulgaria: Party Systems and Governments Observatory [blog entry].
- Kolarova R. & Spirova M. (2014), Bulgaria 2013, European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 53(1): 45-56.
- Rashkova E.R. & Spirova M. (2014), Ethnic parties regulation in Eastern Europe. In: Van Biezen I., Ten Napel H. (Eds.) Regulating Political Parties: European Democracies in Comparative Perspective. Leiden: Leiden University Press. 225-252.
- Rashkova E.R. & Spirova M. (2014), Party regulation and the conditioning of small political parties: Evidence from Bulgaria, East European Politics 30(3): 315-329.
- Spirova M. & Kopecky P. (2014), Patrons or champions? The organizational strategies of ethnic parties. Paper presented at the 2014 ECPR Workshop on Clientelism and Public Policy, Salamanca, April 2014. Salamanca.
- Kolarova R. & Spirova M. (2013), Bulgaria 2012, European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 52(1): 35-38.
- Spirova, M.S., Casal Bertoa & F. (2013), Parties between thresholds: State subsidies and party behavior in post-communist democracies. American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago. Chicago.
- Spirova M.S. & Kopecky P. (2013), Patrons or champions? The organizational strategies of ethnic parties. Council for European Studies Annual Conference, Amsterdam.
- Spirova M. (2012), ' A Tradition We Don’t Mess With’ Party patronage in Bulgaria. In: Kopecky P., Mair P., Spirova M. (Eds.) Party Patronage and Party Government in European Democracies.: Oxford University Press.
- Kolarova R. & Spirova M. (2012), “Bulgaria 2012” Political Data Yearbook, 51(1): 922-927.
- Spirova M. (2012), European Integration and Minority Politics: Ethnic Parties at the EP Elections, East European Politics 28(1): 76-93.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2012), Measuring party patronage through structured expert interviews. In: Kopecky P., Mair P., Spirova M. (Eds.) Party Patronage and PartyGovernment in European Democracies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 17-30.
- Kopecky P., Mair P. & Spirova M. (Eds.) (2012), Party Patronage and Party Government in European Democracies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Rashkova E. & Spirova M. (2012), Party Regulation in Post-Communist Bulgaria. Leiden. [other]
- Spirova M. & Stefanova B. (2012), The European Dimension of Minority Political Representation: Bulgaria and Romania Compared, East European Politics and Societies 26(1): 75-92.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2011), 'Jobs for the Boys’? Patterns of Party Patronage in Post-Communist Europe, WEST EUROPEAN POLITICS 34(3): 897-921.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2011), Party management and state colonization in post-communist Europe: the European dimension. In: Paul G. Lewis and Radek Markowski (Ed.) Europeanising party politics? Comparative perspectives on Central and Eastern Europe. Manchester: Manchester University Press. 25-43.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2010), Exploiting the State: Patterns of Party Patronage in the Post-Communist Europe. Edinburgh, UK. [other]
- Kolarova R. & Spirova M. (2010), Bulgaria, 49(7-8): 909-918.
- Spirova M. (2010), Bulgaria. In: Ramet S. P. (Ed.) Central and Southeastern Europe since 1989. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 401-421.
- Spirova M. (2010), The 2009 parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, Electoral Studies 29: 276-279.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2009), Exploiting the state: party patronage in Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Brno, Czech Republic. [other]
- Spirova M. & Stefanova B. (2010), The European Dimension of Minority Representation: Convergence in Minority Empowerment through the European Elections?. Los Angeles, CA. [other]
- Spirova M. (2009), Bulgaria 2008. Political Data Yearbook, European Journal of Political Research : 913-916.
- Spirova M. & Kopecky P. (2008), Party patronage in post-communist countries: Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Leiden. [other]
- Spirova M. (2008), Corruption and democracy: The "color" revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine. Prague, Czech Republic. [other]
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2008), Party management and state exploitation in post-communist Europe. Sofia, Bulgaria. [other]
- Spirova M., Scherlis G. & Kopecky P. (2008), Party patronage in new democracies: A post-communist pattern?. Boston, USA. [other]
- Spirova M. (2008), Bulgaria 2007 (political data year book), 47(7-8): 924-934.
- Spirova M. & Derleth J.W. (2008), Bulgaria: The challenges of building a stable democracy. In: Philips Shively W. (Ed.) Comparative governance: political structure and diversity across the globe.: McGraw Hill Primis online.
- Kopecky P., Scherlis G. & Spirova M. (2008), Conceptualizing and measuring party patronage. CIDE, Mexico: IPSA committee on concepts & methods.
- Spirova M. (2008), Europarties and party development in EU candidate states: The case of Bulgaria, Europe-Asia Studies 60(5): 791-809.
- Spirova M. & Derleth J.W. (2008), Hungary: The post-communist frontrunner. In: Philips Shively W. (Ed.) Comparative governance: Political structure and diversity across the globe.: McGraw Hill Primis online.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2008), Power of the powerless: Parliamentary opposition in Eastern Europe, The Journal of Legislative Studies 14(1/2): 133-159.
- Spirova M. (2008), The communist successor party in Bulgaria: The long road to Europe, Communist & Post-Communist Studies 41(5): 481-499.
- Spirova M. & Budd D. (2008), The EU accession process and the Roma minority in new and soon-to-be member states, COMPARATIVE EUROPEAN POLITICS 6(1): 81-102.
- Scherlis G., Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2007), Party patronage in new democracies: Institutional location and policy sector relevance. Florence. [other]
- Scherlis G., Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2007), Party patronage in new democracies: Preliminary empirical results and analysis. Florence. [other]
- Spirova M. (2007), Party patronage in new democracies: Preliminary empirical results and analysis. Florence, Italy. [other]
- Spirova M. (2007), Party patronage in new democracies: Concepts, measures and the design of empirical inquiry. Chicago. [other]
- Spirova M. (2007), Cleaning-up politics: Parties and corruption in the “new” Europe. Chicago, USA. [other]
- Spirova M. & Kolarova R. (2007), The Europeanization of the Bulgarian political party system: The bad news. Sussex, UK. [other]
- Spirova M. (2007), The political representation of the Roma minority in Bulgaria: (1990-2005), Network for citizenship and democracy in Europe .
- Spirova M. (2007), The Europeanization of the Bulgarian party system: The impact of Europarties on Bulgarian party development. University of Salford. [other]
- Spirova M. (2007), Political parties and women MP' s in Bulgaria. New Orleans, USA. [other]
- Spirova M. (2007), Bulgaria, 47 (7-8): 900-910.
- Spirova M. (2007), Political parties in post-communist systems: Formation, persistence, and change. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Spirova M. (2006), Political parties and patronage in Bulgaria: A case study of the 2005 'Red sweep'. Nikosia, Cyprus. [other]
- Spirova M. (2006), Party electoral strategies in post-communist systems: The impact of international actors. San Diego, USA. [other]
- Spirova M. & Budd D. (2006), The Roma: A 'European minority'?. San Diego, USA. [other]
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