Qualitative Studies of Public Opinion: Renewing a Classical Tradition to Understand the Current Crises of Democratic Politics

• Applicant: Dr. Linus Westheuser
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research ; Political Science
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 555751013

The network aims to renew the long and distinguished tradition of qualitative studies of public opinion, and develop an agenda for qualitative research on contemporary crises of democratic politics. We seek to show the added value of qualitative contributions in fields of political science and political sociology that are currently dominated by large-N research, and to bring together qualitative and mixed-methods researchers working in these fields. Thematically, our focus lies on a range of phenomena that signal a crisis of democratic political institutions, an intensification and emotionalization of political conflict, and changes in the modes of political communication, i.e.1. Realignment, cleavage change, and new linkages of politics and social structure2. Affective polarization and the transformation of political emotions3. Misinformation, post-truth, "alternative facts", and new modes of political communicationIn addition, the network would discuss a number of methodological and ethical challenges commonly encountered by qualitative scholars in political research, including reflections on the researcher’s positionality, the (non-)alignment of respondents’ stated attitudes and their political behavior, as well as the validation and communication of qualitative findings and methodology, especially in contexts commonly centered on quantitative modes of research.The network will consist of six two-day workshops in varying locations (Berlin (x2), Leipzig, Munich, Vienna, and Dresden), held biannually over the course of three years. The idea is to form a stable context of exchange and collaboration among a group of 18 early-career researchers. At each meeting, a set of participants would present their own work related to common themes. For each, three external speakers would be invited to present and discuss with the group. The outcome of the network will be a debate piece underscoring the promise of qualitative public opinion research; a systematic review article of the history, current variety, and future avenues of this type of research; a special issue of substantive contributions concerning crises of democratic politics; and a research handbook on methods and practices of qualitative public opinion research.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks