Rebecca Hitchman

Profile

From 2019 to 2025. I completed a BA in Asia-Pacific Studies and an MSc in Political Science, both at the University of Leeds.

My Undergraduate dissertation explored the association demographic composition and voter turnout at Japan’s 2021 House of Representatives election, emphasising how variation in demographic subset turnout likely exacerbates unequal democratic representation of Japan’s voting-eligible population.

I extended my quantitative investigation of Japan’s House of Representatives turnout for my Master’s dissertation, examining how welfare expenditure influences voter turnout across six elections and underscoring the necessity of accessible data and theoretical justification of variable operationalisation.

Research interests

My interests intersect with the areas of political psychology, electoral studies, political communications, and democracy. My current focus is on the quantitative examination of political phenomena in East and Southeast Asia.

My PhD research examines the relationship between media coverage of economic issues, relative economic insecurity, and voter turnout in Japan’s Lower House of Representatives elections. Substantial research exists on the media’s role in political activism, disinformation, and electoral participation. However, there are limited English-language studies focusing on Japan’s electoral dynamics. Japan serves as a case study for a wider trend in voter disengagement and declining turnout. SMD electoral participation often falls below turnout in equivalent elections for regional neighbours and global allies. Low turnout raises concerns about representation, voter alienation, and the legitimacy of economic policies. By examining media coverage of exogenous shocks, such as the global financial crisis, this research hopes to clarify how the frequency and tone of country-level journalism shape individuals’ perceptions of financial vulnerabilities. My research will investigate how these perceptions influence decision-making and traditional political participation.

Using content analysis, I will identify the predominant media narratives across multiple election cycles. This approach provides a baseline for understanding how media discourse influences public perceptions of the economy. I will examine how these narratives resonate with voters. These insights will guide the operationalisation and measurement of “economic insecurity.” I will incorporate this conceptualisation into econometric regression models to quantify and evaluate the relationship between economic well-being and electoral engagement in Japan.

I intend to align all research with UKRI Open Research practices. This will include the publication of an SMD-level VEP data set for multiple Japanese House of Representatives elections.

Qualifications

• 2025 MSc Political Science - University of Leeds
• 2024 BA Asia-Pacific Studies - University of Leeds