Vanessa Schwaiger
@vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social
PhD Student at University of Stuttgart | Democratic Preferences, Inequality, Democratic Innovations @demolabs.bsky.social
Pinned
🚀 How do citizens imagine their future democracy – on Mars and on Earth?
Using large survey experiments in the US and Germany, we explore how people envision democratic governance with and without path dependencies 🪐
Read the preprint here ➡️ osf.io/preprints/so...
Using large survey experiments in the US and Germany, we explore how people envision democratic governance with and without path dependencies 🪐
Read the preprint here ➡️ osf.io/preprints/so...
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
New publication on citizen forums:
We highlight the risks of exclusion, elite cherry-picking, and limited public awareness, and argue that such forums should be viewed as one component of a broader healthy “discursive infrastructure” rather than a panacea for democratic decline.
Link below ⬇️
We highlight the risks of exclusion, elite cherry-picking, and limited public awareness, and argue that such forums should be viewed as one component of a broader healthy “discursive infrastructure” rather than a panacea for democratic decline.
Link below ⬇️
January 8, 2026 at 10:30 AM
New publication on citizen forums:
We highlight the risks of exclusion, elite cherry-picking, and limited public awareness, and argue that such forums should be viewed as one component of a broader healthy “discursive infrastructure” rather than a panacea for democratic decline.
Link below ⬇️
We highlight the risks of exclusion, elite cherry-picking, and limited public awareness, and argue that such forums should be viewed as one component of a broader healthy “discursive infrastructure” rather than a panacea for democratic decline.
Link below ⬇️
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
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 11:10 AM
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
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
🫶 Wishing everyone restful holidays and a happy start into the new year! We look back on many inspiring moments in 2025, and forward to many more interesting discussions and projects in 2026 ✨🎄
December 19, 2025 at 2:18 PM
🫶 Wishing everyone restful holidays and a happy start into the new year! We look back on many inspiring moments in 2025, and forward to many more interesting discussions and projects in 2026 ✨🎄
🚀 How do citizens imagine their future democracy – on Mars and on Earth?
Using large survey experiments in the US and Germany, we explore how people envision democratic governance with and without path dependencies 🪐
Read the preprint here ➡️ osf.io/preprints/so...
Using large survey experiments in the US and Germany, we explore how people envision democratic governance with and without path dependencies 🪐
Read the preprint here ➡️ osf.io/preprints/so...
December 4, 2025 at 12:15 PM
🚀 How do citizens imagine their future democracy – on Mars and on Earth?
Using large survey experiments in the US and Germany, we explore how people envision democratic governance with and without path dependencies 🪐
Read the preprint here ➡️ osf.io/preprints/so...
Using large survey experiments in the US and Germany, we explore how people envision democratic governance with and without path dependencies 🪐
Read the preprint here ➡️ osf.io/preprints/so...
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Yesterday, the DDME Team held a workshop as part of the Freedom Week in Berlin, where participants got to design democracy on Mars! 🚀
💡 It was an inspiring experience to turn survey research into practice and watch participants discuss the pros and cons of involving different actors in the process.
💡 It was an inspiring experience to turn survey research into practice and watch participants discuss the pros and cons of involving different actors in the process.
November 17, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Yesterday, the DDME Team held a workshop as part of the Freedom Week in Berlin, where participants got to design democracy on Mars! 🚀
💡 It was an inspiring experience to turn survey research into practice and watch participants discuss the pros and cons of involving different actors in the process.
💡 It was an inspiring experience to turn survey research into practice and watch participants discuss the pros and cons of involving different actors in the process.
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
I can't wait for our Workshop on "Democracy on Mars" during the Berlin Freedom Week, with my favourite colleagues AND hosted in my favourite place, the Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa 🚀 🫰 Sign up if you are in Berlin on November 15th! berlin-freedom-week.com/event/wie-so...
September 25, 2025 at 7:11 AM
I can't wait for our Workshop on "Democracy on Mars" during the Berlin Freedom Week, with my favourite colleagues AND hosted in my favourite place, the Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa 🚀 🫰 Sign up if you are in Berlin on November 15th! berlin-freedom-week.com/event/wie-so...
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
🥳 I'm excited that my project on opinion formation around the future of citizenship has received funding by @dfg.de
🔎 On this highly polarized issue, I will investigate opinion and opinion change in 4 migration societies. 💡This will include an issue-specific analysis of the transnational cleavage.
🔎 On this highly polarized issue, I will investigate opinion and opinion change in 4 migration societies. 💡This will include an issue-specific analysis of the transnational cleavage.
DFG - GEPRIS - Die Zukunft von Staatsbürgerschaft: eine deliberative Untersuchung von Meinungsbildung zum Wahlrecht in europäischen Migrationsgesellschaften
In Zeiten durchlässiger Grenzen stehen Konflikte um Staatsbürgerschaft in ganz Europa auf der politischen Agenda. Für Politik und Forschung ist es von ...
gepris.dfg.de
September 5, 2025 at 11:24 AM
🥳 I'm excited that my project on opinion formation around the future of citizenship has received funding by @dfg.de
🔎 On this highly polarized issue, I will investigate opinion and opinion change in 4 migration societies. 💡This will include an issue-specific analysis of the transnational cleavage.
🔎 On this highly polarized issue, I will investigate opinion and opinion change in 4 migration societies. 💡This will include an issue-specific analysis of the transnational cleavage.
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
❓Are cosmopolitans participatory, technocratic or representative democrats?
Despite their active role in society, few analyze cosmopolitans' governance preferences. My preprint uses cosmopolitanism as a multidimensional concept to investigate this question 🤔👇
Any feedback is welcome!
Despite their active role in society, few analyze cosmopolitans' governance preferences. My preprint uses cosmopolitanism as a multidimensional concept to investigate this question 🤔👇
Any feedback is welcome!
OSF
osf.io
September 3, 2025 at 8:02 AM
❓Are cosmopolitans participatory, technocratic or representative democrats?
Despite their active role in society, few analyze cosmopolitans' governance preferences. My preprint uses cosmopolitanism as a multidimensional concept to investigate this question 🤔👇
Any feedback is welcome!
Despite their active role in society, few analyze cosmopolitans' governance preferences. My preprint uses cosmopolitanism as a multidimensional concept to investigate this question 🤔👇
Any feedback is welcome!
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Last week, @franziskamaier.bsky.social @anjarieker.bsky.social @vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social presented work on governance preferences, social divides, and methods of assessing citizen preferences at the EPSA (now @epssnet.bsky.social) in Madrid☀️ Thanks for great feedback and conversations! ✨
July 4, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Last week, @franziskamaier.bsky.social @anjarieker.bsky.social @vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social presented work on governance preferences, social divides, and methods of assessing citizen preferences at the EPSA (now @epssnet.bsky.social) in Madrid☀️ Thanks for great feedback and conversations! ✨
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Our @demolabs.bsky.social crew is on the way to Madrid for #EPSA - looking forward ☀️📚🚀
@anjarieker.bsky.social @vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social
@anjarieker.bsky.social @vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social
June 25, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Our @demolabs.bsky.social crew is on the way to Madrid for #EPSA - looking forward ☀️📚🚀
@anjarieker.bsky.social @vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social
@anjarieker.bsky.social @vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
🧵 THREAD: Can a short online intervention help defend democracy against partisan polarization?
In our new study - just published in the @bjpols.bsky.social - my colleagues and I tested this question across 33 countries 🌍 with over 41,000 participants 🧑🤝🧑.
Here’s what we found 👇
In our new study - just published in the @bjpols.bsky.social - my colleagues and I tested this question across 33 countries 🌍 with over 41,000 participants 🧑🤝🧑.
Here’s what we found 👇
April 24, 2025 at 11:17 AM
🧵 THREAD: Can a short online intervention help defend democracy against partisan polarization?
In our new study - just published in the @bjpols.bsky.social - my colleagues and I tested this question across 33 countries 🌍 with over 41,000 participants 🧑🤝🧑.
Here’s what we found 👇
In our new study - just published in the @bjpols.bsky.social - my colleagues and I tested this question across 33 countries 🌍 with over 41,000 participants 🧑🤝🧑.
Here’s what we found 👇
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Who does Spiderman vote for? Who you vote for.
In a new paper w/ @markuswagner.bsky.social we show that people engage in motivated projection of political identities. In the absence of explicit info on politics, individuals rely on valence to infer the politics of others
doi.org/10.1017/psrm...
In a new paper w/ @markuswagner.bsky.social we show that people engage in motivated projection of political identities. In the absence of explicit info on politics, individuals rely on valence to infer the politics of others
doi.org/10.1017/psrm...
March 19, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Who does Spiderman vote for? Who you vote for.
In a new paper w/ @markuswagner.bsky.social we show that people engage in motivated projection of political identities. In the absence of explicit info on politics, individuals rely on valence to infer the politics of others
doi.org/10.1017/psrm...
In a new paper w/ @markuswagner.bsky.social we show that people engage in motivated projection of political identities. In the absence of explicit info on politics, individuals rely on valence to infer the politics of others
doi.org/10.1017/psrm...
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Woran man übrigens auch sehr schön sehen kann, dass Wahlrechts- und Repräsentationsfragen immer auch umkämpfte normative Fragen sind: Einfach mal vergleichen, wie die Diskurse um "verwaiste Wahlkreise" vs. Repräsentation von Frauen verlaufen. (Parität ließe sich ja auch über Wahlrecht sichern)
February 26, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Woran man übrigens auch sehr schön sehen kann, dass Wahlrechts- und Repräsentationsfragen immer auch umkämpfte normative Fragen sind: Einfach mal vergleichen, wie die Diskurse um "verwaiste Wahlkreise" vs. Repräsentation von Frauen verlaufen. (Parität ließe sich ja auch über Wahlrecht sichern)
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Today we had a joint meeting with our group and @demolabs.bsky.social to talk about current projects! We never thought about democracy on Mars - Thanks for the visit!
February 25, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Today we had a joint meeting with our group and @demolabs.bsky.social to talk about current projects! We never thought about democracy on Mars - Thanks for the visit!
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
The most striking result from yesterday’s German election #btw2025 🇩🇪:
🔹 35 years after reunification: The GDR is redrawn on this map.
🔹 The AfD won 45 out of 48 electoral districts in the East.
🔹 In some parts of Saxony, they came close to 50%!
Why is this happening? Here’s my take 👇
🔹 35 years after reunification: The GDR is redrawn on this map.
🔹 The AfD won 45 out of 48 electoral districts in the East.
🔹 In some parts of Saxony, they came close to 50%!
Why is this happening? Here’s my take 👇
February 24, 2025 at 9:18 AM
The most striking result from yesterday’s German election #btw2025 🇩🇪:
🔹 35 years after reunification: The GDR is redrawn on this map.
🔹 The AfD won 45 out of 48 electoral districts in the East.
🔹 In some parts of Saxony, they came close to 50%!
Why is this happening? Here’s my take 👇
🔹 35 years after reunification: The GDR is redrawn on this map.
🔹 The AfD won 45 out of 48 electoral districts in the East.
🔹 In some parts of Saxony, they came close to 50%!
Why is this happening? Here’s my take 👇
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
If you sum it up, 49% of young German men voted for a right-leaning party, but only 28% of young women. Conversely, 59% of young women voted for a left-leaning party, but only 38% of young men. (BSW left out.)
February 23, 2025 at 10:09 PM
If you sum it up, 49% of young German men voted for a right-leaning party, but only 28% of young women. Conversely, 59% of young women voted for a left-leaning party, but only 38% of young men. (BSW left out.)
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
The German election campaign has been dominated by migration. How might it affect pol behavior? Francesco Veri and I show that negative news coverage on migration triggers willingness for hostile political action.
Read more in our Political Psychology article now published here (open access!) 👇
Read more in our Political Psychology article now published here (open access!) 👇
Migration discourses from the radical right: Mapping and testing potential for political mobilization
Radical right-wing groups are often linked to conspiratorial beliefs that can fuel political extremism but understanding how these beliefs translate into real-world action remains a challenge, as the....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 20, 2025 at 12:43 PM
The German election campaign has been dominated by migration. How might it affect pol behavior? Francesco Veri and I show that negative news coverage on migration triggers willingness for hostile political action.
Read more in our Political Psychology article now published here (open access!) 👇
Read more in our Political Psychology article now published here (open access!) 👇
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Seems like a good day to reshare this recent study that shows how mainstream parties can fuel the success of the radical right by opening the door to them
Super important experimental study by @lcjacobs89.bsky.social and @jbpilet.bsky.social showing that mainstream parties signaling willingness to govern with radical right legitimize these parties with higher propensity to vote for radical right as a result
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
To rule or not to rule? An experimental study of the electoral ramifications of claims to (not) rule with radical right populist parties - Laura Jacobs, Jean-Benoit Pilet, 2024
In a between-subjects experiment (n = 3270) conducted in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium), we examine the electoral ramifications of claims by a ri...
journals.sagepub.com
January 29, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Seems like a good day to reshare this recent study that shows how mainstream parties can fuel the success of the radical right by opening the door to them
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Yesterday, the wonderful Lea Kaftan @dielea.bsky.social shared her valuable insights on how authoritarianism and populism shape citizens' support for democracy and are linked to vote choice 🗳️🔍
January 28, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Yesterday, the wonderful Lea Kaftan @dielea.bsky.social shared her valuable insights on how authoritarianism and populism shape citizens' support for democracy and are linked to vote choice 🗳️🔍
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
🚨 Only 3 weeks left to apply! 🚨
Postdoc position in Advertising Democracy. An excellent opportunity to join a dynamic team and do impactful research.
Postdoc position in Advertising Democracy. An excellent opportunity to join a dynamic team and do impactful research.
Join our team! 🚨
We are hiring 2 postdocs for the new Advertising Democracy project at Aarhus University.
We are looking for researchers who are passionate about advertisements & citizens’ democratic values in Western democracies.
Feel free to share!👇🏾
bss.au.dk/en/about-aar...
We are hiring 2 postdocs for the new Advertising Democracy project at Aarhus University.
We are looking for researchers who are passionate about advertisements & citizens’ democratic values in Western democracies.
Feel free to share!👇🏾
bss.au.dk/en/about-aar...
Postdoctoral positions in Political Science at Aarhus University – Advertising Democracy - Vacancy at Aarhus University
Vacancy at Department of Political Science, Aarhus University
bss.au.dk
January 10, 2025 at 9:12 AM
🚨 Only 3 weeks left to apply! 🚨
Postdoc position in Advertising Democracy. An excellent opportunity to join a dynamic team and do impactful research.
Postdoc position in Advertising Democracy. An excellent opportunity to join a dynamic team and do impactful research.
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Look back at 2024 with us💁: Our team travelled to several conferences (like the Deliberative Democracy Summer School in Canberra, ECPR Joint Sessions, EPSA), and workshops (on methods, and democratic preferences).
@vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social @seraphinearnold.bsky.social @anjarieker.bsky.social
@vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social @seraphinearnold.bsky.social @anjarieker.bsky.social
December 10, 2024 at 1:36 PM
Look back at 2024 with us💁: Our team travelled to several conferences (like the Deliberative Democracy Summer School in Canberra, ECPR Joint Sessions, EPSA), and workshops (on methods, and democratic preferences).
@vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social @seraphinearnold.bsky.social @anjarieker.bsky.social
@vanessaschwaiger.bsky.social @seraphinearnold.bsky.social @anjarieker.bsky.social
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
Hello! 🦋👋We are the democracy research unit at the University of Stuttgart. Follow us for insights into our research on democratic preferences, democratic reform, and the future of democracy. 👇📚☕
December 9, 2024 at 11:29 AM
Hello! 🦋👋We are the democracy research unit at the University of Stuttgart. Follow us for insights into our research on democratic preferences, democratic reform, and the future of democracy. 👇📚☕
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
This week we hosted André Bächtiger and the ERC project Designing Democracy on Mars and Earth at @unisg.ch for a 2-day workshop 🤓 with our SNF project Varieties of Expertise (with @amberzen.bsky.social and Pradeep Krishnan). We had rich discussions on what citizens want from their democracies 🗳️,
November 29, 2024 at 4:20 PM
This week we hosted André Bächtiger and the ERC project Designing Democracy on Mars and Earth at @unisg.ch for a 2-day workshop 🤓 with our SNF project Varieties of Expertise (with @amberzen.bsky.social and Pradeep Krishnan). We had rich discussions on what citizens want from their democracies 🗳️,
Reposted by Vanessa Schwaiger
How democratic are ordinary citizens in Western democracies?
If you're curious, here’s a starter pack of researchers studying citizens’ democratic values on Bluesky 🔵
Let me know if you’d like to be included in the list! 👇🏽
#Democracy #PoliticalScience
go.bsky.app/HX24CcL
If you're curious, here’s a starter pack of researchers studying citizens’ democratic values on Bluesky 🔵
Let me know if you’d like to be included in the list! 👇🏽
#Democracy #PoliticalScience
go.bsky.app/HX24CcL
November 21, 2024 at 10:35 AM
How democratic are ordinary citizens in Western democracies?
If you're curious, here’s a starter pack of researchers studying citizens’ democratic values on Bluesky 🔵
Let me know if you’d like to be included in the list! 👇🏽
#Democracy #PoliticalScience
go.bsky.app/HX24CcL
If you're curious, here’s a starter pack of researchers studying citizens’ democratic values on Bluesky 🔵
Let me know if you’d like to be included in the list! 👇🏽
#Democracy #PoliticalScience
go.bsky.app/HX24CcL