The media in direct democracy
Institutions of direct democracy demand a great deal of the media. With a greater frequency than in representative democracies, proposals on issue-related policies must be discussed and communicated to the public. In their reporting, the media tend to personalise and emotionalise. However, debates on issue-related policies provide only few opportunities for this. This project group analyses the role of traditional and social media in direct democracy.
Ongoing projects
Political parties' attitudes towards direct democracy and digital media
The study seeks to follow political parties' attitudes toward the new institutions of direct and participatory democracy.
Project leader: Yanina Welp
Project collaborator: Uwe Serdült
Duration: 2014–2017
Research database UZH
Promoting or eroding democracy? Civil Society Organizations between institutions, digital media and the streets
By analyzing political campaigns launched by civil society in a bid to influence national policy-making in concrete critical situations, this project seeks to examine the extent to which the prevalent patterns of civic and political involvement are changing and under what conditions the new (legal) institutions of participation are effective tools for citizens' intervention.
Project leader: Yanina Welp
Project collaborator: Uwe Serdült
Duration: 2014–2017
Research database UZH