Introduction

Abstract The introduction offers a conceptualization of “revolutionary elections,” the main notion framing all the chapters of the Handbook. To this aim, it first discusses various strands in the literature that examine the nature and meanings of elections to identify the main elements that make the elections included in this volume “revolutionary.” We conceptualize “revolutionary elections” as pivotal episodes whose contested and contentious nature led to outcomes that were highly consequential for the politics and societies in the countries in which they took place, as they helped to inaugurate or transform institutions, to settle substantial issues at stake, or to change political behavior. The chapter offers reflections on the general setting of revolutionary elections, on some of the features that serve to highlight their significance, and on the need to expand the field of comparative and interdisciplinary American studies.