Cabinets are at the center of policy and politics in presidential countries but our understanding of how they are formed, how they operate, and how they relate to other institutions is still partial and fragmented. We proposes an integrative research agenda organized around related thematic modules, each one associated both with research outputs and the creation of corresponding datasets.
Quality data requires deep local knowledge. Teams of country experts are in charge of following their country’s cabinets and gather accurate data on their composition and dynamics. This data includes information on cabinet design and decision-making; ministers’ affiliations, background and trajectories; and patterns of government stability.
Research on presidential cabinets has largely relied on individual efforts, leading to disconnected data that obstruct comparison and theoretical development. One of our main goals is the construction of a comprehensive dataset on cabinets, based on a transparent set of criteria, and gathered and updated periodically by teams of country experts.