Mission Statement

The fundamental content dimension underlying this section is the "input side" of modern democracies: values and norms, political socialization, attitudes and participation of citizens, communication and media. Here, processes of political socialization, information processing, and factors of the respective institutional context form the core of the research efforts. How do socially and politically relevant attitudes and value orientations develop? What factors enable or hinder citizens' participation in politics and society? How is (civil) societal value change triggered and what influences does this have on the structure, functioning and performance of democracy? What role do media and digital changes play in this process? This also brings questions of social, gender-specific and political inequality into focus. By including local, national and institutional contexts, the section's work is also based in principle on a comparative perspective.

The aim of our research section is to contribute to the knowledge of the (inter)national scientific community in a basic sense. We take up substantively relevant questions and aim to answer them in a methodologically appropriate way and anchored in empirical social research.

All interested parties are invited to subscribe to the AG's mailing list, to which we send out information on upcoming events, among other things.