About the project

Threats to the stability of democracy in Europe manifest themselves through various discursive strategies employed by political actors. These strategies underpin institutional and political changes, aim to justify anti-democratic actions, and shape citizens’ electoral behaviour.

The main objective of DEMRES is to identify and analyse the key narratives of democratic backsliding and democratic resilience used by anti-democratic and pro-democratic political actors, as well as to assess the responsiveness of key target groups to these narratives and their mobilising potential in elections. The project aims to create a unique knowledge base on how populist challenges reshape contemporary democracies.

By combining advanced analysis of political texts with qualitative and quantitative research, the project examines how political language can contribute either to democratic erosion or to democratic resilience.

Research questions

• Which narratives and rhetorical strategies are used to legitimise democratic backsliding, and which are used to defend democracy?
• How do these narratives vary between political actors and across changing political contexts?
• Which social and political groups are most responsive to particular backsliding and resilience narratives?
• Under what conditions can these narratives shape political attitudes, electoral choices and political mobilisation?

Research design

DEMRES employs a multi-stage, sequential mixed-methods research design integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches across four phases:

Expected contribution

The project will expand the current state of knowledge in research on democracy, political parties and movements, public discourse, and political communication. It will provide comparative evidence on the discursive mechanisms through which democratic erosion is legitimised, as well as on narratives that may strengthen democratic resilience and mobilise citizens in defence of democracy.

Publications and project outputs

• DEMRES news
• Publications
• Conference presentations
• Project datasets and research resources

Contact: agn.kwiatkowska@gmail.com.