Kristian Frederiksen
@kristianvsf.bsky.social
Associate professor at Aarhus University. Democratic erosion, citizens & elites. Webpage: https://sites.google.com/view/kristianfrederiksen
Pinned
The Way Back After Backsliding: Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy - Kristian Frederiksen, Robb Willer, Michael Bang Petersen, 2026
Abundant prior research has analyzed the mass public’s role in democratic backsliding. Comparatively little research has studied democratic restoration, the reh...
journals.sagepub.com
Great to see "The Way Back After Backsliding: Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy" with @robbwiller.bsky.social and @m-b-petersen.bsky.social out in @cpsjournal.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
🚨New WP: Can an AI voter guide (grounded in information from a nonpartisan, fact-checked source) help voters’ decision making? 🚨
We built and evaluated an LLM-based chatbot that provided voting info in CA & TX (N=2,474) right before the 2024 election. 🧵👇
We built and evaluated an LLM-based chatbot that provided voting info in CA & TX (N=2,474) right before the 2024 election. 🧵👇
February 9, 2026 at 8:56 PM
🚨New WP: Can an AI voter guide (grounded in information from a nonpartisan, fact-checked source) help voters’ decision making? 🚨
We built and evaluated an LLM-based chatbot that provided voting info in CA & TX (N=2,474) right before the 2024 election. 🧵👇
We built and evaluated an LLM-based chatbot that provided voting info in CA & TX (N=2,474) right before the 2024 election. 🧵👇
Great to see "The Way Back After Backsliding: Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy" with @robbwiller.bsky.social and @m-b-petersen.bsky.social out in @cpsjournal.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
The Way Back After Backsliding: Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy - Kristian Frederiksen, Robb Willer, Michael Bang Petersen, 2026
Abundant prior research has analyzed the mass public’s role in democratic backsliding. Comparatively little research has studied democratic restoration, the reh...
journals.sagepub.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:10 AM
Great to see "The Way Back After Backsliding: Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy" with @robbwiller.bsky.social and @m-b-petersen.bsky.social out in @cpsjournal.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
I still remember vividly reading this NYT headline in October 2024, sitting in a coffee shop in Boston, a fortnight before the presidential election
#Minneapolis
#Minneapolis
January 24, 2026 at 10:16 PM
I still remember vividly reading this NYT headline in October 2024, sitting in a coffee shop in Boston, a fortnight before the presidential election
#Minneapolis
#Minneapolis
Extremely happy and relieved to share that I've been hired as an Associate Professor in Political Science in Aarhus from February 1. Time to go get these ba⭐ds trying to undermine democracy and/or the sovereignty principle. And teach a whole lot of course. I will keep you posted!
January 23, 2026 at 10:24 AM
Extremely happy and relieved to share that I've been hired as an Associate Professor in Political Science in Aarhus from February 1. Time to go get these ba⭐ds trying to undermine democracy and/or the sovereignty principle. And teach a whole lot of course. I will keep you posted!
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
Joint work with the brilliant
@kristianvsf.bsky.social
@sirianned.bsky.social
@aykutozturk.bsky.social
Open access article here 👇
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
@kristianvsf.bsky.social
@sirianned.bsky.social
@aykutozturk.bsky.social
Open access article here 👇
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Elections Without Constraints? The Appeal of Electoral Autocracy Across the World | British Journal of Political Science | Cambridge Core
Elections Without Constraints? The Appeal of Electoral Autocracy Across the World - Volume 56
www.cambridge.org
January 5, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Joint work with the brilliant
@kristianvsf.bsky.social
@sirianned.bsky.social
@aykutozturk.bsky.social
Open access article here 👇
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
@kristianvsf.bsky.social
@sirianned.bsky.social
@aykutozturk.bsky.social
Open access article here 👇
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Our 32-country conjoint study on which societal characteristics citizens prioritize is now published at @bjpols.bsky.social
w. excellent @anjaneundorf.bsky.social @sirianned.bsky.social @aykutozturk.bsky.social
w. excellent @anjaneundorf.bsky.social @sirianned.bsky.social @aykutozturk.bsky.social
NEW -
Elections Without Constraints? The Appeal of Electoral Autocracy Across the World - https://cup.org/49auQPf
- @anjaneundorf.bsky.social, @sirianned.bsky.social, Kristian Vrede Skaaning Frederiksen & @aykutozturk.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
Elections Without Constraints? The Appeal of Electoral Autocracy Across the World - https://cup.org/49auQPf
- @anjaneundorf.bsky.social, @sirianned.bsky.social, Kristian Vrede Skaaning Frederiksen & @aykutozturk.bsky.social
#OpenAccess
December 22, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Our 32-country conjoint study on which societal characteristics citizens prioritize is now published at @bjpols.bsky.social
w. excellent @anjaneundorf.bsky.social @sirianned.bsky.social @aykutozturk.bsky.social
w. excellent @anjaneundorf.bsky.social @sirianned.bsky.social @aykutozturk.bsky.social
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
From October 2025 -
Interstate Conflict Increases the Appeal of Undemocratic Candidates - https://cup.org/3Lx7bjx
"undemocratic candidates are evaluated more positively under conflict compared to peace"
- @kristianvsf.bsky.social & Lasse Laustsen
#OpenAccess
Interstate Conflict Increases the Appeal of Undemocratic Candidates - https://cup.org/3Lx7bjx
"undemocratic candidates are evaluated more positively under conflict compared to peace"
- @kristianvsf.bsky.social & Lasse Laustsen
#OpenAccess
December 10, 2025 at 12:40 AM
From October 2025 -
Interstate Conflict Increases the Appeal of Undemocratic Candidates - https://cup.org/3Lx7bjx
"undemocratic candidates are evaluated more positively under conflict compared to peace"
- @kristianvsf.bsky.social & Lasse Laustsen
#OpenAccess
Interstate Conflict Increases the Appeal of Undemocratic Candidates - https://cup.org/3Lx7bjx
"undemocratic candidates are evaluated more positively under conflict compared to peace"
- @kristianvsf.bsky.social & Lasse Laustsen
#OpenAccess
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
I mean, this is an execution
December 5, 2025 at 1:03 AM
I mean, this is an execution
Experimental evidence that *randomly varying the severity of democratic norm violations* is 1) as good as incrementally increasing severity (re subversion by stealth), and 2) better than incrementally decreasing severity (re reference point theory) for would-be authoritarians
NEW -
Dynamic Democratic Backsliding - https://cup.org/3X48Yzq
"I formulate and test predictions about how different sequences of backsliding shape accountability."
- Eddy S. F. Yeung
#OpenAccess
Dynamic Democratic Backsliding - https://cup.org/3X48Yzq
"I formulate and test predictions about how different sequences of backsliding shape accountability."
- Eddy S. F. Yeung
#OpenAccess
November 19, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Experimental evidence that *randomly varying the severity of democratic norm violations* is 1) as good as incrementally increasing severity (re subversion by stealth), and 2) better than incrementally decreasing severity (re reference point theory) for would-be authoritarians
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
Does ethnopolitical exclusion cause civil war onset via grievances? In a new article, @lleipziger.bsky.social, Lasse Lykke Rørbæk, and I reassess this relationship based on 15 case studies. Six of the cases followed the grievance/mobilization/rejection pathway proposed by the general theory.
#OpenAccess from @poppublicsphere.bsky.social -
Does Ethnopolitical Exclusion Cause Civil War Onset via Grievances? Evidence from 15 Case Studies - https://cup.org/4ozgHkU
- @lleipziger.bsky.social, Lasse Lykke Rørbæk & @skaaning.bsky.social
#FirstView
Does Ethnopolitical Exclusion Cause Civil War Onset via Grievances? Evidence from 15 Case Studies - https://cup.org/4ozgHkU
- @lleipziger.bsky.social, Lasse Lykke Rørbæk & @skaaning.bsky.social
#FirstView
November 15, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Does ethnopolitical exclusion cause civil war onset via grievances? In a new article, @lleipziger.bsky.social, Lasse Lykke Rørbæk, and I reassess this relationship based on 15 case studies. Six of the cases followed the grievance/mobilization/rejection pathway proposed by the general theory.
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
An expert survey I was contacted by exposed its recipient list and now I'm in a "remove me too please" snowball. Don't people ever learn not to "reply all"?
November 13, 2025 at 8:33 AM
An expert survey I was contacted by exposed its recipient list and now I'm in a "remove me too please" snowball. Don't people ever learn not to "reply all"?
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
Fascinating paper by @grattonecon.bsky.social, @bartonelee2.bsky.social, and Hasin Yousaf!
The paper addresses a fundamental question: Why do some democracies chronically avoid ambitious, long-term reforms even when they have decent institutions?
They argue that what matters is not only
The paper addresses a fundamental question: Why do some democracies chronically avoid ambitious, long-term reforms even when they have decent institutions?
They argue that what matters is not only
November 3, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Fascinating paper by @grattonecon.bsky.social, @bartonelee2.bsky.social, and Hasin Yousaf!
The paper addresses a fundamental question: Why do some democracies chronically avoid ambitious, long-term reforms even when they have decent institutions?
They argue that what matters is not only
The paper addresses a fundamental question: Why do some democracies chronically avoid ambitious, long-term reforms even when they have decent institutions?
They argue that what matters is not only
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
🚨 EPSS Belfast 2026 Call for Papers - One week to go! 🚨
Don't forget to submit your paper or panel proposal to the European Political Science Society @epssnet.bsky.social 2026 conference - just one week to go before the deadline: epssnet.org/belfast-2026...
Don't forget to submit your paper or panel proposal to the European Political Science Society @epssnet.bsky.social 2026 conference - just one week to go before the deadline: epssnet.org/belfast-2026...
Call for Papers | EPSS Belfast 2026 Conference
Submit your abstract or full paper for EPSS Belfast 2026. Share cutting‑edge political science research, network with peers & contribute to academic impact.
epssnet.org
October 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
🚨 EPSS Belfast 2026 Call for Papers - One week to go! 🚨
Don't forget to submit your paper or panel proposal to the European Political Science Society @epssnet.bsky.social 2026 conference - just one week to go before the deadline: epssnet.org/belfast-2026...
Don't forget to submit your paper or panel proposal to the European Political Science Society @epssnet.bsky.social 2026 conference - just one week to go before the deadline: epssnet.org/belfast-2026...
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
"the increase in appeal of an undemocratic presidential candidate during interstate conflict is strongest among Republicans. Republicans’ preferences for a democratically compliant candidate are completely eroded during threats of interstate conflict."
NEW -
Interstate Conflict Increases the Appeal of Undemocratic Candidates - https://cup.org/3Lx7bjx
"undemocratic candidates are evaluated more positively under conflict compared to peace"
- @kristianvsf.bsky.social & Lasse Laustsen
#OpenAccess
Interstate Conflict Increases the Appeal of Undemocratic Candidates - https://cup.org/3Lx7bjx
"undemocratic candidates are evaluated more positively under conflict compared to peace"
- @kristianvsf.bsky.social & Lasse Laustsen
#OpenAccess
October 28, 2025 at 3:38 PM
"the increase in appeal of an undemocratic presidential candidate during interstate conflict is strongest among Republicans. Republicans’ preferences for a democratically compliant candidate are completely eroded during threats of interstate conflict."
How do contemporary challenges of backsliding and war interact? We show that interstate conflict boosts support for undemocratic candidates, especially among Republicans who *do not prefer democratic Rs over undemocratic Rs* during interstate conflict.
Out in @bjpols.bsky.social with Lasse Laustsen
Out in @bjpols.bsky.social with Lasse Laustsen
NEW -
Interstate Conflict Increases the Appeal of Undemocratic Candidates - https://cup.org/3Lx7bjx
"undemocratic candidates are evaluated more positively under conflict compared to peace"
- @kristianvsf.bsky.social & Lasse Laustsen
#OpenAccess
Interstate Conflict Increases the Appeal of Undemocratic Candidates - https://cup.org/3Lx7bjx
"undemocratic candidates are evaluated more positively under conflict compared to peace"
- @kristianvsf.bsky.social & Lasse Laustsen
#OpenAccess
October 28, 2025 at 9:46 AM
How do contemporary challenges of backsliding and war interact? We show that interstate conflict boosts support for undemocratic candidates, especially among Republicans who *do not prefer democratic Rs over undemocratic Rs* during interstate conflict.
Out in @bjpols.bsky.social with Lasse Laustsen
Out in @bjpols.bsky.social with Lasse Laustsen
Super excited to get started with this research!
Happy to announce that I, together with @kristianvsf.bsky.social, have received DKK 3,167,689 from Independent Research Fund Denmark to pursue the project Democratic Tradeoff Perceptions (DEMTRAP). We will explore citizen perceptions of possible tradeoffs between democracy and effective governance.
October 23, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Super excited to get started with this research!
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
When authoritarians tell you they like authoritarianism, over and over and over and over and over again, believe them
Trump on Egypt: "They have very little crime. Because they don't play games. That's why. Like we do in the United States with governors that have no idea what they're doing."
October 13, 2025 at 3:48 PM
When authoritarians tell you they like authoritarianism, over and over and over and over and over again, believe them
Arrived and all set for #APSA2025 with two papers:
Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy with @robbwiller.bsky.social and @m-b-petersen.bsky.social (Thur at 12)
What Elites Believe About Opposing Trump with @aarslew.bsky.social and Martin Bisgaard (Sun at 8)
See you at the conference!
Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy with @robbwiller.bsky.social and @m-b-petersen.bsky.social (Thur at 12)
What Elites Believe About Opposing Trump with @aarslew.bsky.social and Martin Bisgaard (Sun at 8)
See you at the conference!
September 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Arrived and all set for #APSA2025 with two papers:
Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy with @robbwiller.bsky.social and @m-b-petersen.bsky.social (Thur at 12)
What Elites Believe About Opposing Trump with @aarslew.bsky.social and Martin Bisgaard (Sun at 8)
See you at the conference!
Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy with @robbwiller.bsky.social and @m-b-petersen.bsky.social (Thur at 12)
What Elites Believe About Opposing Trump with @aarslew.bsky.social and Martin Bisgaard (Sun at 8)
See you at the conference!
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
I am honored to have been awarded an ERC Starting Grant towards my project "Governing elites since the dawn of modern democracy" (GETGOV).
It allows me to continue to advance this research agenda; the goal is to build a database on governing elites from 1789 and up to today + much more.
#ERCStG
It allows me to continue to advance this research agenda; the goal is to build a database on governing elites from 1789 and up to today + much more.
#ERCStG
Jacob Nyrup awarded EU funds to research political elites
- Department of Political Science
Jacob Nyrup from the Department of Political Science has been granted a substantial 18 million Norwegian kroner by the EU's research council to examine political elites in countries before and after d...
www.sv.uio.no
September 4, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I am honored to have been awarded an ERC Starting Grant towards my project "Governing elites since the dawn of modern democracy" (GETGOV).
It allows me to continue to advance this research agenda; the goal is to build a database on governing elites from 1789 and up to today + much more.
#ERCStG
It allows me to continue to advance this research agenda; the goal is to build a database on governing elites from 1789 and up to today + much more.
#ERCStG
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year's WhoGov workshop on Political Elites! It is amazing to see so much great research presented on political elites and meet so many great people.
And thank you to @inalkristiansen.bsky.social and @jonaswschmid.bsky.social for co-organizing the event
And thank you to @inalkristiansen.bsky.social and @jonaswschmid.bsky.social for co-organizing the event
September 3, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year's WhoGov workshop on Political Elites! It is amazing to see so much great research presented on political elites and meet so many great people.
And thank you to @inalkristiansen.bsky.social and @jonaswschmid.bsky.social for co-organizing the event
And thank you to @inalkristiansen.bsky.social and @jonaswschmid.bsky.social for co-organizing the event
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
Can banning political ideologies protect democracy? 🛡️🆚🗣️
Our (w. @valentimvicente.bsky.social) paper finds: punishing individuals might backfire. We study a West German policy banning "extreme left" individuals from working for the state.
#Democracy #PoliticalScience
🧵
url: osf.io/usqdb_v2
Our (w. @valentimvicente.bsky.social) paper finds: punishing individuals might backfire. We study a West German policy banning "extreme left" individuals from working for the state.
#Democracy #PoliticalScience
🧵
url: osf.io/usqdb_v2
July 10, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Can banning political ideologies protect democracy? 🛡️🆚🗣️
Our (w. @valentimvicente.bsky.social) paper finds: punishing individuals might backfire. We study a West German policy banning "extreme left" individuals from working for the state.
#Democracy #PoliticalScience
🧵
url: osf.io/usqdb_v2
Our (w. @valentimvicente.bsky.social) paper finds: punishing individuals might backfire. We study a West German policy banning "extreme left" individuals from working for the state.
#Democracy #PoliticalScience
🧵
url: osf.io/usqdb_v2
Reposted by Kristian Frederiksen
Do campaigns make voters less vulnerable to framing?
Our study of Denmark’s 2022 EU referendum suggests they can. Framing effects declined as voters became more informed and drew on their own EU attitudes.
Happy to share it's now accepted in the EJPR!
Pre-print: osf.io/preprints/os...
Our study of Denmark’s 2022 EU referendum suggests they can. Framing effects declined as voters became more informed and drew on their own EU attitudes.
Happy to share it's now accepted in the EJPR!
Pre-print: osf.io/preprints/os...
May 30, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Do campaigns make voters less vulnerable to framing?
Our study of Denmark’s 2022 EU referendum suggests they can. Framing effects declined as voters became more informed and drew on their own EU attitudes.
Happy to share it's now accepted in the EJPR!
Pre-print: osf.io/preprints/os...
Our study of Denmark’s 2022 EU referendum suggests they can. Framing effects declined as voters became more informed and drew on their own EU attitudes.
Happy to share it's now accepted in the EJPR!
Pre-print: osf.io/preprints/os...
Emphasizing that democracy itself is at risk is quite ineffective in reducing support for undemocratic behavior - experimental evidence from 10 countries now open access in @polbehavior.bsky.social
AND this adds a satisfying *The End* to my dissertation.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
AND this adds a satisfying *The End* to my dissertation.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Does Priming Democratic Vulnerability Make Citizens Punish Undemocratic Behavior? - Political Behavior
Recent instances of public support for democracy-violating political leaders have sparked an important stream of research suggesting that such leaders may gain support by representing citizens’ politi...
link.springer.com
May 23, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Emphasizing that democracy itself is at risk is quite ineffective in reducing support for undemocratic behavior - experimental evidence from 10 countries now open access in @polbehavior.bsky.social
AND this adds a satisfying *The End* to my dissertation.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
AND this adds a satisfying *The End* to my dissertation.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...