Professional Affiliation

Analyst, US Government

Expert Bio

Patrick Liddiard has served as a political analyst in the US Government since 2007. His research focuses on democratic institutions, democratization and political instability. He has served as an analytic point person for the National Security Council’s processes on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance as well as on Fragile States and Stabilization. A native Midwesterner, Patrick earned a Master of Public Policy with a concentration in Foreign Policy at the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science in Physics at Iowa State University.

Wilson Center Project

The Declining Influence of Mass Organizations

Project Summary

Historically, mass organizations have channeled popular mobilization to translate public preferences into policy, helping to institutionalize and moderate political behavior. Worldwide, the influence of many political parties, labor unions, and other civic groups has eroded, a trend that portends lower public engagement with government, new sources of popular grievances, and greater and more unpredictable bouts of unrest. During his fellowship at the Wilson Center, Patrick Liddiard will explore the factors behind the declining influence of mass organizations, the implications of this decline and potential policy options to address them.