Democracy Under Scrutiny

Democratic dissatisfaction, which entails citizens disagreeing with, and viewing negatively, their countries’ policies, parties, politicians, and democratic functioning is in active decline in Western liberal democracies. In 2020, half of all citizens from developed countries expressed dissatisfaction with democracy and their democratic systems (Foa et al., 2020). There are many factors linked to the recent decline of satisfaction with democracy in Western countries, such as economic crisis, perceptions of corruption, and government performance. 
 
Stability within a country and democratic regime influences higher satisfaction with democracy (Leiter & Clark, 2015). The recent decline in satisfaction with democracy is worrisome as it fuels the rise of populism (Skeie, 2023; Berman 2019) and exacerbates party and partisan polarization (Hoerner & Hobolt, 2021). This trend diminishes trust in political institutions and hinders effective policymaking, which ultimately threatens the stability and functionality of democratic systems. Understanding the causes and consequences of democratic dissatisfaction is crucial to finding ways to mitigate their effect and limit their influence. 

In this workshop, we will investigate the causes and consequences of democratic dissatisfaction throughout different Western and non-Western countries. What are the main drivers behind democratic dissatisfaction, how do these factors vary across different countries, and what effects do they have? What are the consequences of democratic dissatisfaction on political participation, electoral outcomes, and legitimacy of institutions? What changes can counter this dissatisfaction and renew trust in liberal democracies?

We seek answers to these questions and are interested in theoretical and empirical papers (either in-depth case analyses, comparative, or large-N studies) that try to establish why and how democratic dissatisfaction is on the rise in democracies throughout the world. We ask for submissions by researchers at all career levels and we plan to build a special issue in a reputable journal around the papers presented at the workshop. 

Workshop Details and Information

Submissions

• Deadline: 15 May 2024;
• Submissions to be uploaded using the submission form on the website;
• Required: extended abstract (max. 400 words);
• Notifications of acceptance/ rejection to be sent out by May 30th, 2024;
• Full paper submission by September 20th, 2024 (6,000-8,000 words).

Format

• Conference with in-person attendance (online participation will be possible)
• Conference language: English

Conference Place and Dates

• Ottawa, Canada: 3-4 October 2024.
• School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa
• Costs covered: lunches and accommodation (2 nights). Participants need to arrange for their own travel. 

For more information, or to submit an abstract email us at daniel.stockemer@uottawa.ca