ONGOING PROJECTS
The Impact of War on Social Movements in Europe
The project examines how the full-scale Russian invasion of 2022 affected the dynamics of civic activity and protests in countries in the war zone or its immediate vicinity — with a particular focus on Poland and Ukraine. By analyzing protest databases (including ACLED), creating an original catalog of social organizations active in 2021–2023, and conducting interviews with male and female activists, the team seeks to capture how the war is changing protest strategies, the perception of the conflict, and mobilization mechanisms. The project combines quantitative and qualitative research to develop a theory of the impact of drastic external shocks on civil society — and to indicate which features of movements determine their resilience or transformation under conditions of threat to democracy. Read more about the project
- Principal Investigator: Olga Zelinska, Ph.D.
- Project duration: 2024-2027
Polish National Election Study (PNES) 2023
The purpose of the Polish National Election Study is to provide a record and analysis of the most important of political events: parliamentary elections. It is a counterpart to nationally representative post-election surveys conducted in many other countries around the world and in the majority of mature democracies, which constitute part of the canon of knowledge in the disciplines of political sociology and political science. Read more about the project
- Principal Investigator: Professor Mikołaj Cześnik
- Project duration: 2023-2026
ActEU: Towards a new era of representative democracy - Activating European citizens’ trust in times of crises and polarization
The ActEU project, conducted by a consortium of twelve European universities led by the University of Duisburg-Essen, explores the decline of trust in democratic institutions and ways to rebuild it. The research investigates how social polarization, shifting values, and changing communication patterns shape citizens’ attitudes toward democracy. Using quantitative, qualitative, and experimental methods, the project will produce a practical toolkit to help public institutions and civil society strengthen democratic legitimacy. The SWPS University team is responsible for analyzing trends in political trust and participation across Europe and developing educational materials for civic education. Read more about the project
- Principal Investigator: Professor Mikołaj Cześnik
- Project duration: 2023-2026
AUTHLIB: Neo-Authoritarianisms in Europe and the Liberal Democratic Response
The AUTHLIB project analyzes how contemporary forms of authoritarianism shape political life in Europe and how liberal democracy can effectively respond to them. The goal of the research is to create a map of the varieties of illiberal ideologies, their social impact, and to design tools to counteract the spread of authoritarianism. The project covers seven European countries, including Poland, and combines analyses of texts, social research, media content, and deliberative experiments. The team from SWPS University is responsible for developing the theoretical dimensions of authoritarianism and conducting survey research that examines how citizens respond to illiberal messages coming from political elites. AUTHLIB will provide policymakers with practical tools to better protect the values of liberal democracy in the changing landscape of Europe. Read more about the project
- Principal Investigator: Professor Radosław Markowski
- Project duration: 2022-2026
From Samoobrona (Self-Defense) to Agrounia: Rural Social Movements in Poland Post-1989
The goal of the project is to study rural social movements (RSM) as actors in social and political processes after the 1989 transformation in Poland. Civil society played a key role in the transformation processes, especially in its early stages. While the role of labor (trade unions, employee organizations, and otherwise active workers) has been very well researched, the role of rural (farmer) movements was hardly ever an object of a systematic study, despite their intensive activity, large membership, and the uniqueness of challenges that this group was facing. Read more about the project
- Principal Investigator: Professor Michał Wenzel
- Project duration: 2022-2025
Partisan Bias or a Climate of Indifference? An Investigation of Actually-Existing Democratic Values and their Consequences in Poland
The project examines how Poles perceive the condition of democracy after 2015 – whether they notice a deterioration of liberal standards or if they accept the new, illiberal model of governance. The goal of the research is to understand the extent to which democratic values actually influence citizens' electoral decisions and how political polarization shapes their capacity to hold the ruling party accountable. The team utilizes innovative survey methods and conjoint analysis to separate declarative support for democracy from actual attitudes. The project makes a significant contribution to research on the durability of democracy under conditions of increasing polarization. Read more about the project
- Principal Investigator: Professor Ben Stanley
- Project duration: 2021-2024
COMPLETED PROJECTS
Relationship Between Social Movements and Political Parties for the purpose of Democratic Representation of Social Groups in Europe
The project examines the complex relationship between social movements and political parties – their cooperation, conflicts, and mutual influences in the struggle for social representation. By analyzing cases from Poland, Ukraine, and Germany, the team aims to understand what mechanisms facilitate and what mechanisms hinder cooperation between movements demanding change and parties striving for power. The project combines qualitative and quantitative methods – ranging from interviews with activists and politicians to data analysis from 25 European countries – to explain how social protests can influence the party system and the representation of underprivileged groups. The research contributes a new perspective to democracy studies, showing that the relationship between a movement and a party can both strengthen and weaken the voice of citizens. Read more about the project »
- Principal Investigator: Olga Zelinska, Ph.D.
- Project duration: 2021-2024
DIASPOlitic: Understanding the Political Dynamics of Émigré Communities in an Era of European Democratic Backsliding
The DIASPOlitic project examines how intra-European Union migration influences political attitudes, democratic values, and the state of democracy in Europe. The goal of the research is to understand whether migrants from Central and Eastern European countries – after settling in Western European states – adopt liberal values and whether they contribute to their renewed dissemination in their countries of origin, or if they reinforce illiberal tendencies. The project analyzes voting patterns, civic attitudes, and political identities within diasporas, treating them as new, transnational political actors. The results of the study will allow us to understand how migration shapes the European political space and what significance it has for the future of democracy in the region. Read more about the project »
- Principal Investigator: Professor Ben Stanley
- Project duration: 2019-2020
Political Branding: New Approach to the Relationship Between Party and Voter
The project examines how Poles perceive political parties – whether they treat them like brands and voting like a consumer choice. The team analyzes what characteristics, values, and emotions voters attribute to parties, what makes some of them appear more attractive than others, and how these associations influence electoral decisions. The research combines qualitative and quantitative methods, creating "mental maps" of Polish political parties and analyzing the correlation between brand strength and electoral support. The project brings a new perspective to research on voter behavior, showing that in politics – just as in the market – image, uniqueness, and trust matter. Read more about the project »
- Principal Investigator: Professor Marta Żerkowska-Balas
- Project duration: 2017-2019
The Influence of Media on Political Attitudes
The project examines how media – both traditional and social – shape the political views of Poles and influence the functioning of democracy. The team analyzes how media content affects citizens' beliefs, how media consumption differs among groups with varying political orientations, and how emotions in communication influence social attitudes. The research combines quantitative and qualitative methods, including a survey experiment which allows for determining the scale and persistence of opinion changes after exposure to different types of messages. The results show that the emotional tone of communication – especially that based on fear – strongly reinforces the media's influence on views, and that social media creates a separate, less politically oriented information ecosystem. Read more about the project »
- Principal Investigator: Professor Michał Wenzel
- Project duration: 2016-2018
The Impact of Electoral Rules on the Quality of Local Democracy in Poland
The project analyzes the impact of different electoral systems on the functioning of local governments, citizen participation, and the quality of local democracy. Utilizing the unique situation from the 2014 local elections – where different electoral rules were applied in comparable municipalities – the study enables a quasi-experimental evaluation of the effects of introducing the majoritarian (plurality) and proportional systems. The team examines how different electoral laws influence the composition of municipal councils, the efficiency of their operations, citizen engagement, and the feeling of having an impact on politics. The project's results serve as an important point of reference for international research on the institutional foundations of democracy and can support the design of more effective and participatory electoral rules. Read more about the project »
- Principal Investigator: Professor Radosław Markowski
- Project duration: 2014-2018
Political Knowledge in Poland
The project analyzes how well Poles understand politics and what influence their civic knowledge has on the functioning of democracy. A team of researchers from SWPS University examines the level, structure, and significance of political knowledge in society, asking questions about whether the average citizen knows state institutions, understands decision-making processes, and can evaluate the actions of the authorities. The study includes both the measurement of the state of knowledge and the analysis of its dynamics and consequences for political participation, attitudes towards democracy, and the sense of civic efficacy (or agency). The project constitutes the first comprehensive attempt in Poland to diagnose political knowledge as a key element of the quality of public life and the stability of the democratic system. Read more about the project »
- Principal Investigator: Professor Mikołaj Cześnik
- Project duration: 2014-2017