Electoral Strategies under Authoritarianism makes valuable contributions to the growing research on authoritarian regimes. Hauser, through her well-developed theory and mixed methods approach, provides a detailed explanation of when and why government incumbents choose specific strategies of electoral manipulation, expanding our understanding of the nature of authoritarian elections. The cross-case examination of multiple post-Soviet offers new and sometimes surprising insights about the electoral strategies of both incumbents and opposition political parties. Any scholar interested in authoritarian elections or the politics of post-Soviet states should read this book. -- Rachel Vanderhill, Wofford College Incisive and compelling, Hausers theory of electoral strategy in semi-authoritarian regimes establishes and interprets the interconnection between incumbent and opposition behaviors. Focusing on the post-Soviet space, this sophisticated and insightful work unravels persistent paradoxes of electoral authoritarianism today. Hauser gives meaning to seemingly counterintuitive political strategies that distort and subvert liberal democracy. This book moves beyond the transition paradigm to take a fresh view of the logic of elections in semi-authoritarian states. In identifying informational and instrumental forms of manipulation, Hauser provides useful recommendations for the democracy promotion community. -- Gabrielle Bardall, International Foundation for Electoral Systems
