A natural sentences approach to the computer coding of party manifestos

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2003

Abstract

This chapter describes a technique for the computer-aided content analysis of political party manifestos. While conceived in the context of the problem of the analysis of party manifestos, this technique should be applicable to any area where large quantities of machine-readable text are to be coded for thematic content. The method described could be used to speed the coding of new manifestos using the existing Comparative Manifesto Project (CMP) coding scheme, and to provide for relatively rapid recoding of the existing stock of machine-readable party manifestos using new or modified coding schemes. Such recoding could be desirable either to trace the emergence and evolution of novel issues not contained in the current coding scheme, or to extend the set of issues for which directional, as well as saliency measures are available. Applied to other types of political texts such as parliamentary speeches, proposed legislation, campaign materials and media reports, this technique would allow for a comparison of manifesto content with the thematic emphases of other actors, and the analysis of intra- as well as inter-party politics.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Estimating the Policy Position of Political Actors

First Page

149

Last Page

161

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