Reseach Project: Democracy Behind the Scenes

How are the conditions for effective citizen dialogue actually created? And what happens at the intersection between democratic ideals and municipal reality?

These are questions that Digidem Lab will now explore together with the University of Gothenburg in the research project Democracy Behind the Scenes: A Study of the Conditions for Implementing Participatory Democratic Methods. The project is led by researcher Maria Sjögren at the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMG), University of Gothenburg, with Digidem Lab as the host organization. The project is made possible through funding from the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond.

The project focuses on what is rarely visible in democratic work: the internal processes where participatory democratic methods are planned, adapted, and negotiated. The research will examine the knowledge conveyed by Digidem Lab’s advisors in their interactions with municipalities and other public actors, the opportunities and constraints that arise in practice, and the effects this has on municipal democratic work.

This project is important to us because it helps us better understand the real conditions for democratic participation.

– Ali Tabrizi, Executive Director Digidem Lab

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We know that many municipalities want to work more inclusively and long-term with citizen dialogue, but we also know that there are practical obstacles. Through this research, we can both deepen our own knowledge and contribute to strengthening democracy in practice, says Ali Tabrizi, Executive Director at Digidem Lab.

There is extensive research on the effects of participatory democratic methods, but significantly less knowledge about how these processes actually come into being within organizations. Through the collaboration between Digidem Lab and the University of Gothenburg, the project aims to contribute new knowledge on precisely this: the practical conditions of democracy behind the scenes.

For Digidem Lab, this initiative is an important part of the organization’s long-term work to develop democratic methods that are both inclusive and feasible in real-world contexts. The research will not only contribute to academic discussions but also provide concrete insights that can strengthen the work of municipalities and other public actors in participation, influence, and democratic learning. The project plan also includes scientific publications, conference presentations, and the dissemination of results to relevant target groups beyond academia.

I am very happy to be carrying out this project together with Digidem Lab.

– Maria Sjögren, Researcher University of Gothenburg

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There is extensive research on the effects of participatory democratic methods, but much less on the conditions that enable their implementation across different organizational contexts. I hope that by working closely with Digidem Lab’s advisors, I can contribute research that is grounded in their actual knowledge needs while also shedding light on the conditions for democratic work in practice, says Maria Sjögren, research project leader.

Through funding from the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, Digidem Lab and the University of Gothenburg are able to deepen the collaboration between research and practice. The ambition is for the project to generate valuable insights both for the academic community and for the municipalities, organizations, and democracy actors who seek to develop better forms of participation between elections.

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