9311335 Clarke This is a proposal to investigate the conditions under which politically significant charges can occur in the structure and composition of party systems in contemporary democracies. The study is prompted by the observation that the party systems of several of these countries have experienced substantial partisan dealignment since the mid 1960's. Such dealignments, together with important social-structural and cultural changes and the emergence of new issue agendas, seemingly create conditions propitious for the development of new parties and associated party system realignments. To date, however, there have been only very limited changes in the basic contours of existing party systems, and new parties that have emerged have enjoyed only very limited and often, short-lived success. The project in study factors which facilitate and inhibit the emergence of new parties and party system realignment through a coordinated combination of cross-sectional and panel surveys of the Canadian electorate and members, through a coordinated combination of cross-sectional and panel surveys of the Canadian electorate and members, activists and local officials in Canada's new Reform Party. The surveys will be conducted over the 1993-1995 period, and a book-length manuscript on the research is expected to be completed in 1996. ***
