Sort Articles

Science of Democracy

August 14, 2025

🦋 Shift happens: rethinking democracy research in times of crisis

Norma Osterberg-Kaufmann Democracy research must evolve. Citizens support democracy itself, but are growing disillusioned with democratic institutions. Christoph Mohamad-Klotzbach and Norma Osterberg-Kaufmann say we need to rethink our frameworks. Here, they argue for broadening the empirical paradigm – shifting focus from procedural checklists to people’s own understandings of democracy – to better grasp today’s crisis Read more
August 7, 2025

🦋 Democracy in academia: the not-so-wanted child

Max Steuer Of all domains of inquiry, the science of democracy is hit particularly heavily in non-democratic regimes. Max Steuer argues that non-democratic practices in academia complicate the issue. Here, he calls for a debate on more intra-academic democracy Read more
August 1, 2025

🦋 The Science of Democracy and the limits of an uncompromisingly pluralist approach

Jonas Wolff Democracy is in trouble, and so is democracy research. In response, the Science of Democracy 2.0 lays out an ambitious agenda. While applauding this endeavour, Jonas Wolff explores a fundamental tension: is a radically pluralist approach to democracy research a tool to defend democracy? Read more
July 24, 2025

🦋 What counts as democracy? A critical reflection on The Science of Democracy 2.0

Hong Do The Science of Democracy 2.0 offers a bold, innovative rethinking of democracy by embracing diversity and challenging Western-centric models. Hong Do acknowledges its ambition, but argues it risks romantic pluralism by celebrating traditions without fully addressing embedded inequalities and power hierarchies within them Read more
July 15, 2025

🦋 Science of Democracy 2.0

Jean-Paul Gagnon To kickstart another round of essays, Jean-Paul Gagnon recaps four years’ worth of discussions in The Loop's Science of Democracy series. He explains where this ever-growing community of scholars has got to so far – and where it aims to go next Read more
July 30, 2024

🦋 A case for technical democracy

Kalervo N. Gulson Democracy is a set of processes that create spaces for dissensus and radical equality. Greg Thompson and Kalervo N. Gulson argue that nowhere is the lack of democratic spaces more evident than in the field of technology and its impact on institutions and life Read more
April 5, 2024

🦋 Critical Theory after Houellebecq

Shivdeep Grewal Feelings are relevant to the study of democracy. Yet they prove difficult to encapsulate. Delving into the worlds of Michel Houellebecq, Jürgen Habermas and Emmanuel Macron, Shivdeep Grewal suggests an ‘experiential’ approach Read more
March 21, 2024

🦋 What identity does democracy need? The necessity and danger of political polarisation

Simon Bein Simon Bein postulates a new perspective on the multiplicity of understandings of democracy and political identities in democratic societies. He argues that democracies which recognise and balance competing political identities are less polarised Read more

The Loop

Cutting-edge analysis showcasing the work of the political science discipline at its best.
Read more
THE EUROPEAN CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL RESEARCH
Advancing Political Science
© 2025 European Consortium for Political Research. The ECPR is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) number 1167403 ECPR, Harbour House, 6-8 Hythe Quay, Colchester, CO2 8JF, United Kingdom.
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram