Staff Profile

Roles and Responsibilities

Professor of Politics

Qualifications

BA (1989) University of Strathclyde

PhD (1994) University of Strathclyde

Previous Positions

Professor Maloney was previously the Interim Director of Newcastle University Business School (2020-2022) and Head of the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology (2013-2020). Before joining Newcastle University Professor Maloney held various research and teaching posts at the Universities of Aberdeen and Strathclyde. 

Research Interests

Organized Interests Politics; social capital; political participation (supply- and demand-sides) and the professionalization of civil society organizations.

Previous Research Projects

INTEREURO: Comparative research on interest group politics in Europe.

Professor Maloney is a Steering Committee member and Lead Researcher on the Interest Group Professionalization Module.

The ESF/ECR Project INTEREURO examines interest group mobilization; organizational maintenance and professionalization; strategies for influencing political decision-making; framing processes; and their impact on policy outcomes. The overall objective is to provide a better understanding of the influence production process in the EU. Interest Groups Politics in Europe. The democratic and represenational implications of the professionalization of civil society organizations.  

CUPESSE: European Commission: Cultural Pathways to Economic Self-Sufficiency and Entrepreneurship: Family Values and Youth Unemployment in Europe. Collaborative Project, Seventh Framework Programme. (€420,000).

Professor Maloney is the Newcastle University Principal Investigator.

The CUPESSE project carries out a comparative analysis of both the demand and supply side of youth unemployment in eight EU Member States (Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) and two Associated Countries (Switzerland and Turkey). The research assumption is that cross-country variation will facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the causes and effects of the very high levels of unemployment among young people in Europe, which should subsequently allow us to better assess the effects and effectiveness of labour market policies designed to mitigate this phenomenon. The CUPESSE project brings together theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches from four academic disciplines (economics, political science, psychology, and sociology).It is based on numerous research activities that complement each other to deliver a very comprehensive assessment of the problem of unemployment among adolescent and young adults in Europe as well as existing policy measures in the field. The broad empirical scope of the project allows for identifying various strategies to overcome high levels of youth unemployment in Europe. CUPESSE goes beyond the state of research by analysing how norms, values and social axioms and their formation and transmission within the cultural context of family organization affect both the hard or cognitive skills and the soft or non-cognitive skills of young people, and how these skills affect their employability and their employment situation. In other words, it aims to develop a better understanding of the cultural pathways to economic self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship of adolescent and young adults. It is on the basis of this refined understanding of the cultural dimension of the employability of young people that we assess previous policy measures aimed at mitigating youth unemployment in Europe and separate out the factors that make a difference with the ultimate goal to propose new or refined measures.

Flemish Research Foundation (FWO): "The organizational development of national interests groups in a European comparative perspective". Promoter Professor Jan Beyers (Antwerp), Co-Promoter  Professor Danica Fink-Hafner (Ljubljana). (€340,000). 

Professor Maloney is a Co-Promoter of this project.

Interest organizations nowadays operate in a highly complex and fragmented political environment. Policymaking responsibilities in many European democracies are dispersed between political authorities at different levels of government. This project seeks to explain how the dynamics of multilevel governance affect the establishment, maintenance and development of organized interests. The division of political authority between various levels could have two effects. It might encourage the involvement of a larger and more diverse range of interests because the decentralization of power can be seen as making policy processes more open and creating more participatory opportunities. Alternatively, multi-level governance could constrain political representation and strengthen existing tendencies towards the politics of the professional because expertise knowledge has become increasingly important. To understand how organized interests operate in this fluid environment, we apply theoretical insights from exchange and resource dependence theory. Empirically, we combine a comprehensive mapping of interest communities in eight countries with an web-survey assessing structural and strategic features of organizational development. In this way, we aim to generate new comparative research on the dynamics of interest representation and seek to understand how organizational imperatives and national factors shape the development of interest group communities across Europe

Recent Research Projects

CONNEX - EU NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE. Co-ordinator of Work Package-A1 (with Jan W van Deth). “The new role of active citizenship and NGOs: from national toward international and European linkages” (RESEARCH GROUP 5: Social capital as catalyst of civic engagement and quality of governance). Under the Sixth Framework Programme: PRIORITY 7 – Citizens and Governance in a Knowledge Based Society. There have been several research group meetings in 2005-2008 period Bled, Slovenia; Mannheim, Germany (2005 and 2008); Newcastle, UK; Darmstadt, Germany; and Piran, Slovenia. Papers have been presented and reviewed at both sessions. This project produced two volumes both co-edited with Jan W van Deth (Mannheim University): Civil Society and Governance in Europe: From National to International Linkages (Edward Elgar, 2008) and Civil Society and Activism in Europe: Contextualising Engagement and Political Orientation (Routledge, 2010).

Esteem Indicators

Google Scholar Citations: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=6Ha5AtAAAAAJ

Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences

Chair, International Review Panel Member on Scientific Quality for The Changing Society and Active Citizenship Programme, 2017.

Academy of Finland, Strategic Research Council First Stage – International Review Panel Member for The Changing Society and Active Citizenship Programme, 2017.

A member of The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) international, multidisciplinary assessment committee for the Smart Governance Programme, 2014.

Co-Section Chair (with Professor Jan Beyers, Antwerp) of ECPR General Conference, "Interest Groups and Comparative Political Science: Empirical, Theoretical, Methodological and Normative Challenge. Glasgow 3-6 September 2014.

Elected "Official Fellow" of the Mannheimer Zentrum für Europäische Sozialforschung (MZES), Universität Mannheim. March 2004. Renewed 2008 to 2011 and 2011-2014.

Visiting Professor, Universities of Antwerp (Belgium), Corvinus (Budapest), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Mannheim (Germany).

External Examiner: Politics and International Relations, University of Southampton, School of Social Sciences; and School of Government and Public Policy, University of Strathclyde.

Editorial Board Member, Interest Groups and Advocacy

June 2009 to April 2012, European Consortium or Political Research, Executive Committee Member. Publications and Publicity Portfolios.

Co-Director (with Professor Jan van Deth, Mannheim) of ECPR Joint Sessions Workshop "Professionalization and Individualized Collective Action: Analyzing New 'Participatory' Dimensions in Civil Society. Lisbon 15th-20th April 2009.

European Science Foundation Pool of Reviewers.

2004 to present: EU NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE (CONNEX). Co-ordinator (with van Deth) of Work Package-A1: "The new role of active citizenship and NGOs: from national toward international and European linkages" (RESEARCH GROUP 5: Social capital as catalyst of civic engagement and quality of governance). Under the Sixth Framework Programme: PRIORITY 7 – Citizens and Governance in a Knowledge Based Society.

2001 to 2003: Coordinator (with Roßteutscher) of the Organizational component of the European Science Foundation (ESF) funded Citizenship, Involvement, and Democracy (CID) Network, and UK representative on the CID Steering Group.

2002 Political Studies Association Conference Academic Convenor.

Co-Section Chair for ECPR Conference in Canterbury (September 2001) "Mobilization and Participation" (with Kriesi).

"Academic Referee": Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, British Journal of Political Science, Comparative European Politics, Economic and Social Research Council, Environment and Planning ‘C’, Environmental Politics, European Journal of Political Science, European Science Foundation, Harvard University (Visiting Fellowship Program, Center for European Studies), Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Politics, Journal of Public Policy, Leverhulme Trust, Local Economy, Policy and Politics, Political Studies, and Public Administration.

External Examiner (October 2007-September 2010): Brunel University - BSc Politics; BSc Politics and History; BSc International Politics; BSc Politics and Sociology; BSc Politics and Economics.

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC): referee for research grant applications (programme and non-programme research funding), Professorial Research Fellowship Scheme and project evaluation Rapporteur.

Funding

CUPESSE: European Commission – "Cultural Pathways to Economic Self-Sufficiency and Entrepreneurship: Family Values and Youth Unemployment in Europe. Collaborative Project, Seventh Framework Programme". (€420,000).

Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) – "The organizational development of national interests groups in a European comparative perspective". Promoter Professor Jan Beyers (Antwerp), Co-Promoter  Professor Danica Fink-Hafner (Ljubljana). (€340,000).

ESRC Research Seminar Series – "Organized Interests: Democratic and Governance Issues". (December 2005 to May 2007; £14,620)

ESRC Research Seminar Series – "Organized Interests: Democratic and Governance Issues". (December 2005 to May 2007; £14,620)

European Commission: A European Observatory on Social Cohesion, Trust and Participation – with Claire Wallace and Grant Jordan. (263,272 Euros [£174,352])

European Commission: Efficient and Democratic Governance in Multi-level Europe, CONNEX. (2,900 Euros [£1914]).

Sponsor Applicant for British Academy Visiting Professorship/Fellowship Scheme on behalf of Professor Jan W van Deth. Visit "6 May to 6 June 2004" (£1,900).

ESRC: Democracy and Participation Programme "Beliefs and Actions: Why Predisposition Differs from Mobilization" with Grant Jordan (£104,000). (Finished 2003).

Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society "Welfare Through Organisations: A Comparative Analysis of British and German Associational Life" with Jan W van Deth and Sigrid Roßteutscher (£46,000). (Finished 2001).

• Fraussen B, AlbaredaSanz A, Braun C, Maloney WA. A Matter of Information, Discussion and Consequences? Exploring the Accountability Practices of Interest Groups in the EU. Interest Groups & Advocacy 2021, 10, 114-136.
• Berkhout J, Hanegraaff M, Maloney WA. Looking for 'Voice' in Business and Citizen Groups: Who’s Being Heard?. Political Studies 2023, 71(3), 545-572.
• Beyers J, FinkHafner D, Maloney WA, Novak M, Heylen F. The Comparative Interest Group‐survey project: design, practical lessons, and data sets. Interest Groups and Advocacy 2020, 9, 272-289.
• Hörisch F, Tosun J, Erhardt J, Maloney WA. Varieties of Capitalism and labour market opportunities for the youth. European Journal of Government and Economics 2020, 9(3), 232-251.
• Tosun J, Arco-Tirado JL, Caserta M, Cemalcilar Z, Freitag M, Horisch F, Jensen C, Kittel B, Littvay L, Lukes M, Maloney WA, Muhlbock M, Rainsford E, Rapp C, Schuck B, Shore J, Steiber N, Sumer N, Tsakloglou P, Vancea M, Vegetti F. Perceived economic self-sufficiency: a country- and generation-comparative approach. European Political Science 2019, 18(3), 510-531.
• Rainsford E, Maloney W, Popa SA. The Effect of Unemployment and Low-Quality Work Conditions on Work Values: Exploring the Experiences of Young Europeans. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2019, 682(1), 172-185.
• Maloney WA, Hafner-Fink M, Fink-Hafner D. The impact of the EU accession process and EU funding on the professionalization of national interest groups: the Slovenian case. Interest Groups & Advocacy 2018, 7(1), 41-60.
• Maloney WA. . 2016. In Preparation.
• Maloney WA, van Deth JW. Associations and associational involvement in Europe. In: José M. Magone, ed. Routledge Handbook of European Politics. London: Routledge, 2015, pp.826-842.
• Maloney WA. Much Ado About Something? Demand- and Supply-Side Participation in a Dysfunctional Democratic Market?. In: T Poguntke, S Roβteutscher, R Schmitt-Beck and S Zmerli, ed. Citizenship and Democracy in an Era of Crisis: Empirical Perspective. Essays in Honour of Jan W van Deth. Abingdon: Routledge, 2015, pp.155-168.
• Maloney WA. Organizational Populations: Professionalization, Maintenance and Democratic Delivery. In: D Halpin, D Lowery, and V Gray, ed. The Organization Ecology of Interest Communities: Assessment and Agenda. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015, pp.99-116.
• Beyers J, Bonafont L, Duer A, Eising R, Fink-Hafner D, Lowery D, Mahoney C, Maloney W, Naurin D. The INTEREURO Project: Logic and Structure. Interest Groups and Advocacy 2014, 3, 126-140.
• van Deth JW, Maloney WA. Counting at the Local Level. In: Halpin, D., Jordan, G, ed. Quantifying Interest Group Populations. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013, pp.223-244.
• Maloney WA, van Deth JW. Conclusions: How democratic is professionalized and individualized political action?. In: van Deth, J.W., Maloney, W.A, ed. New Participatory Dimensions in Civil Society: Professionalization and Individualized Collective Action. London, UK: Routledge, 2012, pp.231-242.
• van Deth JW, Maloney WA. Introduction: Democracy, Professionalization and Participation. In: van Deth, J.W., Maloney, W.A, ed. New Participatory Dimensions in Civil Society: Professionalization and Individualized Collective Action. London, UK: Routledge, 2012, pp.1-12.
• van Deth JW, Maloney WA, ed. New Participatory Dimensions in Civil Society: Professionalization and Individualized Collective Action. London, UK: Routledge, 2012.
• Maloney WA. The Democratic Contribution of Professionalized Representation. In: van Deth, JW; Maloney, WA, ed. New Participatory Dimensions in Civil Society: Professionalization and Individualized Collective Action. London, UK: Routledge, 2011, pp.84-96.
• Maloney WA, van Deth JW, ed. Civil Society and Activism in Europe: Contextualising Engagement and Political Orientations. London: Routledge, 2010.
• Bernhagen P, Maloney WA. Civil Society Organizations as 'Little Democracies'. In: Maloney, W.A., van Deth, J.W, ed. Civil Society and Activism in Europe: Contextualizing Engagement and Political Orientations. London, UK: Routledge, 2010, pp.100-126.
• Maloney WA, van Deth JW. Conclusions: Activists, Active People and Citizens in European Communities. In: Maloney, W.A., van Deth, J.W, ed. Civil Society and Activism in Europe: Contextualizing Engagement and Political Orientations. London, UK: Routledge, 2010, pp.231-241.
• van Deth JW, Maloney WA. Introduction: Contextualizing Civil Societies in European Communities. In: Maloney, W.A., van Deth, J.W, ed. Civil Society and Activism in Europe: Contextualizing Engagement and Political Orientations. London, UK: Routledge, 2010, pp.1-16.
• Maloney WA. Interest Groups and the Revitalization of Democracy: Are We Expecting Too Much?. Representation 2009, 45(3), 277-287.
• Maloney WA, Van Deth J, Roßteutscher S. Civic orientations: Does associational type matter?. Political Studies 2008, 56(2), 261-287.
• Maloney WA, Van Deth J, ed. Civil Society and Governance in Europe: From National to International Linkages. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2008.
• Beyers J, Eising R, Maloney W. Conclusion: Embedding Interest Group Research. West European Politics (Special Issue, The Politics of Organised Interests in Europe: Lessons from EU Studies and Comparative Politics) 2008, 31(6), 1290-1300.
• Maloney WA, Van Deth J. Conclusions: Europeanisation, Multi-Level Governance, and the Future of Civil Society. In: Maloney, W., Van Deth, J, ed. Civil Society and Governance in Europe: From National to International Linkages. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2008, pp.241-252.
• Maloney WA. Interest Groups, Social Capital and Democratic Politics. In: Castiglione D; Van Deth J; Wolle G, ed. The Handbook of Social Capital. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
• Van Deth J, Maloney WA. Introduction: From Bottom-up and Top-down towards Multi-level Governance in Europe. In: Maloney, W., Van Deth, J, ed. Civil Society and Governance in Europe: From National to International Linkages. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2008, pp.3-18.
• VanDeth J, Maloney W. Is Local Civil Society Conducive to European Participatory Engineering. Mannheim: CONNEX, 2008. CONNEX report series: Opening EU-Governance to Civil Society: Gains and Challenges 5.
• Kohler-Koch B, De Bièvre D, Maloney WA, ed. Opening EU-Governance to Civil Society: Gains and Challenges. Mannheim: Connex, 2008.
• Beyers J, Eising R, Maloney WA. Researching Interest Group Politics in Europe and Elsewhere: Much We Study, Little We Know?. West European Politics 2008, 31(6), 1103-1128.
• Maloney WA. Social Capital as Catalyst of Civic Engagement and Quality of Governance. In: Kohler-Koch B, De Bièvre D, Maloney WA, ed. Opening EU-Governance to Civil Society: Gains and Challenges. Mannheim: Connex, 2008.
• Maloney WA, Van Deth J. The Associational Impact on Attitudes towards Europe: An Anglo-German Comparison. In: Maloney WA; Van Deth J, ed. Civil Society and Governance in Europe: From National to International Linkages. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2008.
• Maloney WA. The Professionalization of Representation: Biasing Participation. In: Kohler-Koch B; De Bièvre D; Maloney W, ed. Opening EU-Governance to Civil Society: Gains and Challenges. Mannheim: CONNEX, 2008, pp.381.
• Maloney W, Roßteutscher S. Associations, Participation and Democracy. In: William A Maloney and Sigrid Roßteutscher, ed. Social Capital and Associations in European Democracies: A Comparative Analysis. London: Routledge, 2007, pp.3-15.
• Jordan G, Maloney W. Democracy and Interest Groups : Enhancing Participation?. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
• Maloney WA, Roßteutscher S, ed. Social Capital and Associations in European Democracies: A comparative analysis. London: Routledge, 2007.
• Maloney W, Roßteutscher S. The Associational Universe in Europe: size and participation. In: Maloney W; Roßteutscher S, ed. Social Capital and Associations in European Democracies: A Comparative Analysis. London: Routledge, 2007.
• Maloney WA, Roßteutscher S. The Prospects of Civil Society and Democratic Governance. In: Maloney W; Roßteutscher S, ed. Social Capital and Associations in European Democracies: A Comparative Analysis. London: Routledge, 2007.
• Jordan G, Maloney WA. "Letting George Do It": Does Olson Explain Low Levels of Participation?. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties 2006, 16(2), 115-139.
• Maloney WA, Jordan G. Explaining Low Participation Rates: Collective Action and the "Concerned Unmobilised". In: Zittel T; Fuchs D, ed. Participatory Democracy and Political Participation. London: Routledge, 2006.
• Jordan G, Maloney W. Old Political Science and New Social Movements. In: Hermann T, ed. Social Movements and Political Protest. Tel Aviv: Open University of Israel, 2006.
• Font J, Geurts P, Maloney W, Berton M. Organisations in Context: politics and culture shaping associational life. In: Maloney W; Roßteutscher S, ed. Social Capital and Associations in European Democracies: A Comparative Analysis. London: Routledge, 2006.
• Maloney WA. Political Participation: Beyond the Electoral Arena. In: Dunleavy P; Heffernan R, Cowley P; Hay C, ed. Developments in British Politics 8. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.
• Maloney W, Roßteutscher S, ed. Social Capital and Associations in European Democracies: A Comparative Analysis. London: Routledge, 2006.
• Clarence EL, Jordan G, Maloney W. Activating Participation: Generating Support for Campaign Groups. In: Roßteutscher S, ed. Democracy and the Role of Associations: Political, Organizational and Social Contexts. London: Routledge, 2005, pp.133-150.
• Maloney W, Roßteutscher S. Welfare Through Organizations. In: Roßteutscher S, ed. Democracy and the Role of Associations: Political, Organizational and Social Contexts. London: Routledge, 2005, pp.89-112.
• Smith G, Stoker G, Maloney WA. Building Social Capital in City Politics: Scope and Limitations at the Inter-Organisational Level. Political Studies 2004, 52(3), 508-530.
• Jordan G, Halpin D, Maloney WA. Defining Interests: Disambiguation and the Need for New Distinctions?. British Journal of Politics and International Relations 2004, 6, 195-212.
• Stoker G, Smith G, Maloney W, Young S. Voluntary Associations and the Generation of Social Capital in City Politics. In: Boddy M; Parkinson M, ed. City Matters: Competitiveness, Cohesion and Urban Governance. Bristol: The Policy Press, 2004, pp.389-403.
• Hayes G, Leaman J, Maloney W. Water. In: Compston H, ed. The Handbook of Public Policy. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2004, pp.241-251.
• Maloney W, Stevenson L. Social Capital. In: Axtmann R, ed. Understanding Democratic Politics. Sage, 2003, pp.187-195.
• Jordan G, Maloney W. Britain: Change and Continuity within the New Realities of British Politics. In: Thomas C, ed. Political Parties and Interest Groups: Shaping Democratic Governance. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Press, 2001, pp.27-44.
• Maloney WA. Regulation in an Episodic Policy-Making Environment: The Water Industry in England and Wales. Public Administration 2001, 79(3), 625-642.
• Maloney W, Smith G, Stoker G. Social Capital and the City. In: Edwards B; Foley M; Diani M, ed. Beyond Tocqueville: Civil Society and the Social Capital Debate in Comparative Perspective. New Hampshire: University of New England, 2001, pp.340.