Rate My Professor Shane Martin

Professor Shane Martin holds the Anthony King Chair in Comparative Government in the Department of Government at the University of Essex. He serves as Acting Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from January to July 2026, providing strategic leadership for the faculty's direction, performance, and financial sustainability. Previously, he was Dean of Postgraduate Research and Education from 2023 to 2025, where he led the postgraduate strategy and launched the Essex Doctoral and Postdoctoral College. Martin also headed the Department of Government from August 2019 to December 2022 and served as Deputy Head from September 2017 to July 2019. He earned his PhD from Dublin City University and has taught at institutions including the University of Leicester, Dublin City University, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of California, San Diego. A committed educator, he initiated the First Generation Programme to widen participation for incoming undergraduates.

An internationally recognised scholar of comparative politics, Professor Martin specialises in parliaments and parliamentarians, examining how electoral incentives shape representatives' behaviour, the internal organisation of legislatures, executive oversight, and public policy making. His research interests encompass legislative politics, comparative European politics, public policy, and Irish politics, with current projects on the evolution of parliamentarism, parliament and coalition government in Britain, parliamentary incumbency, legislative committees, and bargaining in legislatures. Key publications include the book Legislative Assemblies: Voters, Members, and Leaders (2024, with Kaare Strøm and others), 'Legislative Resources, Corruption, and Incumbency' (British Journal of Political Science, 2024), 'Coalition Government and the Electoral Consequences of Legislative Organization' (European Journal of Political Research, 2025), 'Political Dynasties and the Selection of Cabinet Ministers' (Legislative Studies Quarterly, 2017), and 'Beyond Committees: Parliamentary Oversight of Coalition Government in Britain' (West European Politics, 2019). His work has influenced parliamentary practices, including collaboration with the Irish Parliament on pre-legislative scrutiny and advice to the Belgian Parliament. Martin has received a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and a British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship. He currently serves as a trustee and Executive Committee member of the European Consortium for Political Research (2024–2030).