New Project Acquired: Democratic Persuasion

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved funding for the three-year project “How to Make the Case for Democracy” at the Teaching and Research Unit for Digitalization and Political Behavior (Prof. Dr. Alexander Wuttke).

The project addresses a key challenge of contemporary democracies: democratic backsliding increasingly occurs through elections and the decisions of ordinary citizens. It therefore examines how democratic support can be strengthened through effective communication.

Adopting a multidimensional view of democratic support, the project develops and tests theory-driven interventions tailored to different attitudinal profiles. These interventions are evaluated using large-scale survey experiments, in-depth online conversations, and in-person group discussions.

The project aims to generate practical insights into how pro-democratic communication can strengthen democratic resilience at the citizen level.