Maria Spirova
Associate Professor
- Name
- Dr. M.S. Spirova
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 2727
- 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
- Social & Behavioural Sciences
- Political Science
- Spirova M.S. (2024), Bulgaria: political developments and data in 2022 : yet another year of instability, European Journal of Political Research 62(1): 55-67.
- Kopecky P., Spirova M. & Meyer Sahling J-H. (2022), (Extreme) political polarization and party patronage, Irish Political Studies 37(2): 218-243.
- Spirova M. (2022), Bulgaria: Political Developments and Data in 2021, European Journal of Political Research 61(1): .
- Spirova M.S. & Sharenkova-Toshkova R. (2021), Juggling friends and foes: Prime Minister Borissov’s surprise survival in Bulgaria, East European Politics 37(3): 432-447.
- Spirova M.S. (2020), Bulgaria: political developments and data in 2019, European Journal of Political Research 59 (1): 56-61.
- Spirova M.S. (2020), Bulgaria: political development and data for 2020, European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 59(1): .
- 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.
- 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.
- Spirova M. (2019), Conclusion. In: Ruth-Lowell S.P. & Spirova M. (Eds.), Clientelism and Democratic Representation in Comparative Perspective.
- Spirova. M.S. & Kolarova R. (2019), Coalition Governance in Central Eastern Europe. In: Bergman T., Ilonszki G. & Müller W.C. (Eds.), Coalition Governance in Central Eastern Europe: Oxford University press.
- 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].
- 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.S. & Casal Bértoa F. (2019), Parties between thresholds: State subsidies and party behaviour in post-communist democracies, Party Politics 25(2): 233-243.
- Spirova M. & Kostadinova T. (2018), Combatting corruption. In: Fagan A. & Kopecký P. (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of East European Politics. Oxon: Routledge.
- Spirova M. (2016), Nations in Transit 2015: Bulgaria: Freedom House.
- 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. (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.
- 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.S. (2016), “Nations in Transit 2016: Bulgaria". Yearly report of the Freedom House: Freedom House.
- Kolarova R. & Spirova M. (2016), Bulgaria, European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 55(1): 36–41.
- 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. & 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. International Conference on Transatlantic Studies Democracy and Electoral Systems 22 October 2015 - 23 October 2015. Alcalá de Henares.
- 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. Council for European Studies 8 July 2015 - 10 July 2015. Paris.
- 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. Vague concepts and poor operationalization - solutions to measurement problems in studies of government formation 16 September 2015 - 18 September 2015. Stockholm.
- 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. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Slavic Review 74(4): 912-913.
- 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.
- Rashkova E.R. & Spirova M. (2014), Ethnic parties regulation in Eastern Europe. In: Biezen I. van & Napel H. ten (Eds.), Regulating Political Parties: European Democracies in Comparative Perspective. Leiden: Leiden University Press. 225-252.
- 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. ECPR Joint Session of Workshops. Salamanca.
- 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.
- Kolarova R. & Spirova M. (2013), Bulgaria 2012, European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook 52(1): 35-38.
- Spirova M.S. & Kopecky P. (2013), Patrons or champions? The organizational strategies of ethnic parties. Council for European Studies Annual Conference, Amsterdam. Council for European Studies Annual Conference 25 June 2013 - 28 June 2013.
- 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. American Political Science Association Annual Meeting 29 August 2013 - 1 September 2013. Chicago.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. [other].
- Kolarova R. & Spirova M. (2012), “Bulgaria 2012” Political Data Yearbook, 51(1): 922-927.
- 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), Party management and state colonization in post-communist Europe: the European dimension. In: Lewis Paul G. & Markowski Radek (Eds.), Europeanising party politics? Comparative perspectives on Central and Eastern Europe. Manchester: Manchester University Press. 25-43.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2011), 'Jobs for the Boys’? Patterns of Party Patronage in Post-Communist Europe, West European Politics 34(3): 897-921.
- Spirova M. (2010), Bulgaria. In: Ramet S.P. (Ed.), Central and Southeastern Europe since 1989. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 401-421.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2010), Exploiting the State: Patterns of Party Patronage in the Post-Communist Europe. [other].
- Spirova M. & Stefanova B. (2010), The European Dimension of Minority Representation: Convergence in Minority Empowerment through the European Elections?. [other].
- Kolarova R. & Spirova M. (2010), Bulgaria, 49(7-8): 909-918.
- 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. [other].
- Spirova M. (2009), Bulgaria 2008. Political Data Yearbook, European Journal of Political Research : 913-916.
- Spirova M. & Derleth J.W. (2008), Hungary: The post-communist frontrunner. In: Shively W. Philips (Ed.), Comparative governance: Political structure and diversity across the globe: McGraw Hill Primis online.
- Spirova M. & Derleth J.W. (2008), Bulgaria: The challenges of building a stable democracy. In: Shively W. Philips (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., Scherlis G. & Kopecky P. (2008), Party patronage in new democracies: A post-communist pattern?. [other].
- Spirova M. (2008), Corruption and democracy: The "color" revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine. [other].
- Spirova M. & Kopecky P. (2008), Party patronage in post-communist countries: Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. [other].
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2008), Party management and state exploitation in post-communist Europe. [other].
- Spirova M. (2008), Bulgaria 2007 (political data year book), 47(7-8): 924-934.
- Spirova M. (2008), The communist successor party in Bulgaria: The long road to Europe, Communist & Post-Communist Studies 41(5): 481-499.
- Spirova M. (2008), Europarties and party development in EU candidate states: The case of Bulgaria, Europe-Asia Studies 60(5): 791-809.
- 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.
- Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2008), Power of the powerless: Parliamentary opposition in Eastern Europe, Journal of Legislative Studies 14(1/2): 133-159.
- Spirova M. (2007), Political parties in post-communist systems: Formation, persistence, and change. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Spirova M. (2007), Political parties and women MP' s in Bulgaria. [other].
- Spirova M. & Kolarova R. (2007), The Europeanization of the Bulgarian political party system: The bad news. [other].
- Spirova M. (2007), Party patronage in new democracies: Concepts, measures and the design of empirical inquiry. [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), Cleaning-up politics: Parties and corruption in the “new” Europe. [other].
- Scherlis G., Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2007), Party patronage in new democracies: Institutional location and policy sector relevance. [other].
- Spirova M. (2007), Party patronage in new democracies: Preliminary empirical results and analysis. [other].
- Scherlis G., Kopecky P. & Spirova M. (2007), Party patronage in new democracies: Preliminary empirical results and analysis. [other].
- Spirova M. (2007), The Europeanization of the Bulgarian party system: The impact of Europarties on Bulgarian party development. [other].
- Spirova M. (2007), Bulgaria, 47 (7-8): 900-910.
- Spirova M. & Budd D. (2006), The Roma: A 'European minority'?. [other].
- Spirova M. (2006), Party electoral strategies in post-communist systems: The impact of international actors. [other].
- Spirova M. (2006), Political parties and patronage in Bulgaria: A case study of the 2005 'Red sweep'. [other].
- voorzitter bestuur