Bonnie Field

Bonnie Field

  • Professor, Global Studies
  • Editor, South European Society and Politics
  • Ph.D. in Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara
  • MA in Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara
  • BA in Political Science, University of California, Berkeley

Teaching Interests

Comparative Politics; European Politics; Democracy, Democratization and Democratic Backsliding; Gender and Politics

Research Interests

Political Science/Comparative Politics; Democratization; Political Institutions; Political Parties (inter- and intra-party politics); Territorial Politics; European Politics; Spanish Politics; Gender & Politics; Latin American Politics

Bio

Bonnie N. Field is a Professor of Political Science in the Global Studies Department. She is co-Editor of the journal South European Society and Politics. She has a doctorate in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests center on political parties and political institutions in transitional and institutionalized democracies in Europe and Latin America. She has a particular interest in contemporary Spanish politics. She investigates minority governments, parliamentary regimes, interparty relations in parliament, processes of candidate selection and political appointments, territorial politics and regime democratization. She is a local Affiliate of the Center for European Studies at Harvard University. She has been a Visiting Scholar at the Center for European Studies at Harvard, a visiting researcher at the Universities of Barcelona and Oslo, Faculty Fellow at the University of California, Irvine, Visiting Fellow at UCI's Center for the Study of Democracy, and Fulbright Senior Researcher in Spain.

Professional Memberships

  • Council for European Studies 2011-09-01 - Present
  • European Consortium for Political Research (institutional membership) 2011-01-01 - Present
  • American Political Science Association 2000-01-01 - Present

    • Awards and Honors

  • Excellence in Scholarship Award (2020), Bentley University.
  • Outstanding Scholarly Contribution Award (2017) for Why Minority Governments Work: Multilevel Territorial Politics in Spain, Bentley University.
  • Visiting Researcher (2016), Department of Political Science, University of Oslo.
  • Visiting Scholar (fall 2013), Center for European Studies, Harvard University.
  • Visiting Researcher (spring 2013), Departament de Dret Constitucional i Ciència Política, Universitat de Barcelona.
  • Visiting Researcher Grant (spring 2013), Institut d’Estudis Autonòmics, Departament de Governació i Relacions Institucionals, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain.
  • Invited Professor, Doctoral Program, Department of Political Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
  • Courtesy appointment as a local Affiliate of the Center for European Studies, Harvard University (2011 - .
  • Invited Professor (2009), Masters Program in Democracy and Government, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
  • Fulbright Fellow, Senior Researcher in Spain (2008), Fulbright Foundation.
  • University of California Faculty Fellow (2003-2004), Department of Political Science, University of California, Irvine.
  • Visiting Fellow (2003-04), Center for the Study of Democracy, University of California, Irvine.
  • Fulbright U.S. Student Fellow (dissertation research), Spain (1999-2000), Fulbright Foundation.

    • Scholarly Contributions and Creative Productions

    Journal Articles

  • Field, B. N., Alonso Sáenz de Oger, S. (2024). Cracking the Door Open: Governing Alliances between Mainstream and Radical Right Parties in Spain’s Regions. Revista Española de Ciencia Política, (64) 37-64. (Link)
  • Verney, S., Field, B. (2024). The 2023 Elections in Greece and Spain: Evolving Party Systems in Post-Crisis Southern Europe. Journal of Common Market Studies, (62) S1 217-233. (Link)
  • Johnston, A., Hamann, K., Field, B. N. (2022). A Strike against the Left: General Strikes and Public Opinion of Incumbent Governments in Spain. Political Studies, (70) 3 837-64. (Link)
  • Barrio, A., Alonso Sáenz de Oger, S., Field, B. N. (2021). Vox Spain - The Organisational Challenges of a New Radical Right Party. Politics and Governance, (9) 4 240-51. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2021). Ministers, Gender and Political Appointments. Government and Opposition, (56) 4 722-743. (Link)
  • Barrio, A., Field, B. N. (2018). The Push for Independence in Catalonia. Nature Human Behaviour, (2) 10 713-715. (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Hamann, K. (2015). Framing Legislative Bills in Parliament: Regional-Nationalist Parties’ Strategies in Spain’s Multinational Democracy. Party Politics, (21) 6 900-911. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2015). The Evolution of Sub-state Nationalist Parties as Statewide Parliamentary Actors: CiU and PNV in Spain. Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, (21) 1 121-141. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2014). From Consensual to Complex Multi‐level Democracy: The Contours of Contestation and Collaboration in Spain. Comillas Journal of International Relations 1 41-52. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2014). Minority Parliamentary Government and Multilevel Politics: Spain’s System of Mutual Back Scratching. Comparative Politics, (46) 3 293-312. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2013). Resolute Leaders and 'Cardboard Deputies': Parliamentary Party Unity in the New Spanish Democracy. South European Society & Politics, (18) 3 355-374. (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Siavelis, P. M. (2011). Endogenizing Legislative Candidate Selection Procedures in Nascent Democracies: Evidence from Spain and Chile. Democratization, (18) 3 797-822. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2009). A 'Second Transition' in Spain? Policy, Institutions and Interparty Politics under Zapatero (2004-08). South European Society and Politics, (14) 4 379-97. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2009). Los modos de transición y las relaciones interpartidistas postransicionales: datos de España (1977-82) y de Argentina (1983-89). Revista de las Cortes Generales 77 253-89. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2009). Minority Government and Legislative Politics in a Multilevel State: Spain under Zapatero. South European Society and Politics, (14) 4 417-34. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2009). The Parliamentary Election in Spain, March 2008. Electoral Studies, (28) 1 155-58. (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Siavelis, P. M. (2008). Candidate Selection Procedures in Transitional Polities: A Research Note. Party Politics, (14) 5 620-639. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2008). Descongelando la democracia: el descenso de la colaboración interpartidista en España (1977-2004). Revista Española de Ciencia Política, (19) 79-102. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2007). Incorporating Spain into the Comparative Democratization Syllabus. PS: Political Science and Politics, (40) 4 701-705. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2006). Transition Modes and Post-transition Inter-party Politics: Evidence from Spain (1977-82) and Argentina (1983-89). Democratization, (13) 2 205-226. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2006). Transitions to Democracy and Internal Party Rules: Spain in Comparative Perspective. Comparative Politics, (39) 1 83-102. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2005). De-thawing Democracy: The Decline of Political Party Collaboration in Spain (1977 to 2004). Comparative Political Studies, (38) 9 1079-1103. (Link)

    • Books

  • Field, B. N. (Ed.), Martin, S. (Ed.) (2022). Minority Governments in Comparative Perspective. (edited volume) Oxford University Press (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2016). Why Minority Governments Work: Multilevel Territorial Politics in Spain. New York: Palgrave Macmillan (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2016). Por qué funcionan los gobiernos minoritarios: Política territorial multinivel en España. Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (Ed.), Botti, A. (Ed.) (2013). Politics and Society in Contemporary Spain: From Zapatero to Rajoy. (edited volume) New York: Palgrave (Link)
  • Botti, A. (Ed.), Field, B. N. (Ed.) (2013). La Spagna di Rajoy. (edited volume) Bologna: Il Mulino (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (Ed.) (2011). Spain’s “Second Transition”? The Socialist Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. (edited volume) New York: Routledge (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (Ed.), Hamann, K. (Ed.) (2008). Democracy and Institutional Development: Spain in Comparative Theoretical Perspective. (edited volume) Houndmills, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave-Macmillan (Link)

    • Book Chapters

  • Rodríguez Teruel, J., Field, B. (2024). Las dinámicas centrífugas de la competencia política y los pactos de gobierno Informe sobre la democracia en España 2023. La renuncia al centro (eds. Alberto Penadés and Amuitz Garmendia). Madrid: Fundación Alternativas (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Martin, S. (2022). Comparative Conclusions on Minority Governments. Minority Governments in Comparative Perspective (eds. Field and Martin). Oxford University Press. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2022). Minority Governments in Spain: Government Strengthening Institutions in a Multilevel State. Minority Governments in Comparative Perspective (eds. Bonnie N Field and Shane Martin). Oxford University Press. (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Martin, S. (2022). The Politics of Minority Government. Minority Governments in Comparative Perspective (eds. Field and Martin). Oxford University Press. (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Martin, S. (2022). The Why, How and How Well of Minority Governments. Minority Governments in Comparative Perspective (eds. Field and Martin). Oxford University Press. (Link)
  • Alonso, S., Field, B. N. (2021). Spain: The Development and Decline of the Popular Party. Riding the Populist Wave: Europe's Mainstream Right in Crisis (eds. Timothy Bale and Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser). Cambridge University Press (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2021). Spain: Single-Party Majority and Minority Governments. Coalition Governance in Western Europe (eds. Torbjörn Bergman, Hanna Bäck and Johan Hellström). Oxford University Press (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Wuhs, S. T. (2020). Parliaments and Regionalism. Handbook of Parliamentary Studies: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Legislatures (eds. Cyril Benoit and Olivier Rozenberg). Edward Elgar Publishing (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2020). Legislative Politics in Spain. The Oxford Handbook of Spanish Politics (eds. Diego Muro and Ignacio Lago). Oxford: Oxford University Press (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Gray, C. (2019). The Spanish Parliament in Context. Iberian Legislatures in Comparative Perspective (eds. Jorge M Fernandes and Cristina Leston-Bandeira). Routledge (Link)
  • Bucur, C., Field, B. N. (2018). Selecting Presidential Candidates in European Semi-Presidential Democracies. Democratizing Candidate Selection: New Methods, Old Receipts? (eds. Guillermo Cordero and Xavier Coller). Palgrave Macmillan (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Hamann, K. (2016). La transition démocratique espagnole: faits et analyses. La démocratie espagnole: Institutions et vie politique (eds. Hubert Peres and Christophe Roux). Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes (Link)
  • Siavelis, P. M., Field, B. N. (2015). The Presidentialization of Parties in Chile: Coalitions and the Electoral System Connection. The Presidentialization of Political Parties: Organizations, Institutions and Leaders (ed. Gianluca Passarelli). London: Palgrave Macmillan (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2015). The Evolution of Sub-state Nationalist Parties as Statewide Parliamentary Actors: CiU and PNV in Spain. Contesting Spain? The Dynamics of Nationalist Movements in Catalonia and the Basque Country (eds. Richard Gillespie and Caroline Gray). Routledge (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2013). Gobiernos minoritarios y actividad legislativa en un estado multinivel: el caso español. Pactar para gobernar. Dinámicas coalicionales en la España multinivel (ed. Josep María Reniu). Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch (Link)
  • Botti, A., Field, B. N. (2013). Conclusions. Politics and Society in Contemporary Spain: From Zapatero to Rajoy (eds. Field and Botti). New York: Palgrave Macmillan (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2013). Governing Spain in Tough Times and in Minority: The Limits of Shifting Alliances. Politics and Society in Contemporary Spain: From Zapatero to Rajoy (eds. Bonnie N Field and Alfonso Botti). New York: Palgrave Macmillan (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Botti, A. (2013). Introduction: Political Change in Spain, from Zapatero to Rajoy. Politics and Society in Contemporary Spain: From Zapatero to Rajoy (eds. Field and Botti). New York: Palgrave Macmillan (Link)
  • Botti, A., Field, B. N. (2013). Conclusioni. La Spagna di Rajoy (eds. Botti and Field). Bologna: Il Mulino (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2013). Il governo di minoranza spagnolo in tempi di crisi: i limiti delle alleanze variabili. La Spagna di Rajoy (eds. Alfonso Botti and Bonnie Field). Bologna: Il Mulino (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Botti, A. (2013). Introduzione. Il cambiamento politico in Spagna, da Zapatero a Rajoy. La Spagna di Rajoy (eds. Botti and Field). Bologna: Il Mulino (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2013). Decentralization, Regional Parties and Multilevel Governance in Spain. The Ways of Federalism in Western Countries and the Horizons of Territorial Autonomy in Spain, Vol. 2 (eds. Alberto López Basaguren and Leire Escajedo San-Epifanio). New York, NY: Springer (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2011). A 'Second Transition' in Spain? Policy, Institutions and Interparty Politics under Zapatero (2004-08). (Reprint) Spain’s ‘Second Transition’? The Socialist Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (ed. Bonnie N Field). New York and London: Routledge (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2011). Minority Government and Legislative Politics in a Multilevel State: Spain under Zapatero (Reprint) Spain’s ‘Second Transition’? The Socialist Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (ed. Bonnie N. Field). New York and London: Routledge (Link)
  • Siavelis, P. M., Field, B. N. (2011). Procedimientos de selección de candidatos a elecciones legislativas en América Latina: de dónde venimos y nuevos caminos para la investigación. Algo más que Presidentes: el papel del Poder Legislativo en América Latina (eds. Manuel Alcántara Sáez and Mercedes García Montero). Zaragoza: Fundación Manuel Giménez Abad de Estudios Parlamentarios y del Estado Autonómico
  • Field, B. N. (2011). Interparty Consensus and Intraparty Discipline in Spain's Transition to Democracy. The Politics and Memory of Democratic Transition: The Spanish Model (eds. Gregorio Alonso and Diego Muro). New York: Routledge (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Siavelis, P. M. (2009). Procedimientos de selección de candidatos en las democracias nacientes. Selección de candidatos, política partidista y rendimiento democrático (eds. Flavia Freidenberg and Manuel Alcántara Sáez). México, DF: Tribunal Electoral del Distrito Federal, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México e Instituto de Iberoamérica (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Hamann, K. (2008). Conclusion: The Spanish Case and Comparative Lessons on Institutions, Representation and Democracy. Democracy and Institutional Development: Spain in Comparative Theoretical Perspective (eds. Field and Hamann). Houndmills, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2008). Interparty Politics in Spain: The Role of Informal Institutions. Democracy and Institutional Development: Spain in Comparative Theoretical Perspective (eds. Bonnie N Field and Kerstin Hamann). Houndmills, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. (Link)
  • Field, B. N., Hamann, K. (2008). Introduction: The Institutionalization of Democracy in Spain. Democracy and Institutional Development: Spain in Comparative Theoretical Perspective (eds. Field and Hamann). Houndmills, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan (Link)

    • Digital and Electronic Media, Social Media, Blogs, Podcasts

  • Field, B. N., Rodríguez Teruel, J. 2023. "Another Leftist Coalition Government in Spain, Though Just Barely."
  • Alonso Sáenz de Oger, S., Field, B. N. 2023. "Peripheral parties hold the key in the aftermath of the Spanish elections."
  • Field, B. N., Alonso, S. 2023. "Election in Spain: Faustian pact with far right looms?"
  • Barrio, A., Field, B. N. 2023. "CiU, from the success of moderation to radicalisation and disintegration."
  • Field, B. N., Martin, S. 2022. "Understanding minority governments in parliamentary democracies."
  • Alonso Sáenz de Oger, S., Field, B. N., Rovira Kaltwasser, C. 2022. "La derechización del PP en el contexto Europeo."
  • Alonso, S., Field, B. N. 2021. "Is Spain’s Popular Party caught between a silent revolution and a silent counter-revolution?"
  • Field, B. N. 2021. "Ministros, género y nombramientos políticos en España."
  • Field, B. N. 2021. "Gender, ministers and political appointments."
  • Field, B. N., Hamann, K., Johnston, A. 2021. "¿Deberían los gobiernos preocuparse por las huelgas generales?"
  • Johnston, A., Hamann, K., Field, B. N. 2021. "Should governments worry about general strikes?"
  • Field, B. 2019. "L’assignatura pendent dels governs en minoria."
  • Field, B. N. 2019. "Is there something wrong with Spain's political leaders?"
  • Field, B. N., Rodríguez-Teruel, J. 2019. "Can Spain’s elections on Sunday deliver a functioning government?"
  • Field, B. N. 2019. "Do Spain's minority governments work?"
  • Field, B. N. 2019. "Funcionen els governs minoritaris a Espanya?"
  • Field, B. N. 2019. "¿Funcionan los gobiernos minoritarios en España?"
  • Field, B. N. 2019. "El consenso y la unidad constitucionales, en cifras."
  • Field, B. N. 2018. "El PNV con los gobiernos en minoría en España."
  • Barrio, A., Field, B. N. 2018. "Finding a way out of the Catalan labyrinth."
  • Anderson, K. J., Field, B. N. 2018. "Framing the 2018 Elections: #TrustBlackWomen."
  • Anderson, K. J., Field, B. N. 2018. "#ElectBlackWomen."
  • Barrio, A., Field, B. N. 2017. "Is Spain Francoland? No. Has the Catalan crisis damaged Spanish democracy? Yes."
  • Barrio, A., Field, B. N. 2017. "What's Going on in Catalonia?"
  • Field, B. N., Barrio, A. 2017. "Without a drastic change in approach, further conflict appears inevitable in Catalonia."
  • Barrio, A., Field, B. N. 2017. "Spain is trying to block Catalonia’s independence referendum tomorrow. What’s going on?"
  • Field, B. N., Hamann, K. 2017. "Los partidos nacionalistas en el Congreso. Algunas lecciones de España."
  • Field, B. N. 2016. "¿Funcionará el nuevo Gobierno en minoría de Mariano Rajoy?"
  • Field, B. N. 2016. "Will the new Rajoy minority government in Spain work?"
  • Field, B. N., Hamann, K. 2016. "Do regional-nationalist parties emphasize the territorial divide in the national parliament? Some lessons from Spain."
  • Field, B. N. 2016. "La formación de gobierno en España y la herencia de la Segunda República."
  • Field, B. N. 2016. "Forming a government in Spain: The influence of Spain’s first experience with mass democracy."
  • Field, B. N. 2015. "How the next Spanish government might be formed after Spain’s election."

    • Other Scholarly Work

  • Field, B. N. , Martin, S. (2025). Minority Governments (2nd edition). Oxford Bibliographies in Political Science (Link).
  • Field, B., Conti, N. (2024). The road ahead: a note from the (new) editors of South European Society and Politics. South European Society and Politics, (29) 1 1-4. (Link).
  • Field, B. N. , Martin, S. (2019). Minority Governments. Oxford Bibliographies in Political Science (Link).

    • Reviews

  • Field, B. N. (2019). Review of Political Power in Spain: The Multiple Divides between MPs and Citizens by Xavier Coller, Antonio M. Jaime-Castillo, and Fabiola Mota. , (32) 1-2 99-100. (Link)
  • Field, B. N. (2012). Review of Making Democratic Citizens in Spain: Civil Society and the Popular Origins of the Transition, 1960-78 by Pamela Beth Radcliff. , (19) 1 143-145. (Link)

    • Service

    Service: Department

  • Committee Member for Global Studies Research Committee 7/1/22 - Present
  • Official Representative for European Consortium for Political Research 10/1/21 - Present
  • Course Coordinator for GLS 102 Comparative Politics 9/1/21 - Present

    • Service: Professional

  • Editorial Review Board Member for International Journal of Iberian Studies 2025-02-17 - Present
  • Editorial Review Board Member for PS: Political Science & Politics 2025-08-01 - Present
  • Editorial Review Board Member for Revista Española de Ciencia Política 9/1/21 - Present
  • Committee Member for Iberian Politics Related Group of the American Political Science Association 1/1/20 - 2025-10-15
  • Committee Member for Steering Committee of the Standing Group in Southern European Politics, European Consortium for Political Research 6/1/19 - 2025-08-29

    • Service: University

  • Committee Member for Bentley Research Council 7/1/22 - 2025-06-30
  • Committee Member for Sabbatical Committee 7/1/20 - Present
  • Department Chair for Global Studies Department, Chair 7/1/16 - 6/30/21