Photo: Dr. Agnieszka Kwiatkowska, SWPS University
ongoing
DEMRESThe effectiveness of discursive strategies of democratic backsliding and democratic resilience
principal investigator / project leader
Ph.D. / Assistant Professor
Sociologist and political scientist
Full bio project value: PLN 1,236,057
funding source: National Science Center
discipline: sociology
location: Warsaw
duration: 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
Researchers from SWPS University will identify and analyze the key narratives of democratic backsliding and democratic resilience used by anti-democratic and pro-democratic parties. They will also examine the mechanisms through which democratic resilience can be strengthened.
The project is aligned with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals: no. 5 — Gender Equality, 10 — Reduced Inequalities, 16 — Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
The project is financed by the National Science Center (NCN), project no.: 2024/55/B/HS5/03141.
Project objectives
Threats to the stability of democracy in Europe manifest themselves through various discursive strategies employed by political actors, which underpin institutional and political changes, aim to justify anti-democratic actions, and shape citizens’ electoral behavior. The main objective of the project is to identify and analyze the key narratives of democratic backsliding and democratic resilience used by anti-democratic and pro-democratic parties, as well as to assess the responsiveness of key target groups to these narratives and their mobilizing potential in elections.
For more than a decade, we have been witnessing a systematic weakening of democratic institutions across Europe. In our project, we examine this process from a discursive perspective – exploring how political language and narratives contribute either to democratic backsliding or, conversely, to democratic resilience. The project is pioneering in its approach – it combines advanced analysis of political texts with qualitative and quantitative research, creating a unique knowledge base on how populist challenges reshape contemporary democracies.
Kwiatkowska, Agnieszka
Principal Investigator
Role in the Faculty
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Role in the Department
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Role in the Institute
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Role in the Research Center
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Specialization
Sociologist and political scientist
Academic degree or title
Ph.D. / Assistant Professor
Email
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First and last name
Agnieszka Kwiatkowska
Ph.D. / Assistant Professor Agnieszka KwiatkowskaSociologist and political scientist
Methodology
The project employs a multi-stage, sequential mixed-methods research design that integrates qualitative and quantitative approaches across four distinct phases: advanced analysis of political texts, in-depth interviews with political experts, a survey with experiments, and focus group interviews.
Practical application of results
The project addresses an unexplored area within the social and political sciences and constitutes a pioneering study assessing the impact of discursive strategies of democratic backsliding, as well as examining the mechanisms through which democratic resilience can be strengthened.
The results of the project will have a significant impact on the fields of sociology and political science and administration, expanding the current state of knowledge in the areas of research on democracy, political parties and movements, public discourse, and political communication. They will uncover rhetorical patterns and narratives that contribute to democratic backsliding or resilience, and will test their potential effectiveness.