The SECUDEM Project

SECUDEM

SECUDEM investigates how security-based narratives influence democratic judgment of political elites and the general public. The four-year research project funded by Kone Foundation examines a key gap in the study of democratic backsliding: how securitization shapes institutional trust and attitudes toward civil liberties and minority rights.

By analyzing elite political discourse and the public response to securitization, SECUDEM contributes to the understanding of how security narratives shape political participation and democratic expectations. It also explores the boundaries of democratic engagement by addressing those who do not engage in this political evaluation, remaining silent or saying they “don’t know”. Understanding these patterns of response is essential in assessing the resilience of democratic norms and accountability in times of perceived threat.

Meet the Team

Funding Information

Project Themes and Research Questions

The project utilizes qualitative analysis to examine how the political elite constructs security threats and what strategies are used to justify exceptional measures in times of perceived crisis. A systematic mapping of securitizing discourse with an emphasis on the Finnish context creates a better understanding of potential shifts in democratic norms and goals.

To investigate how security-based narratives affect public opinion, the project explores how elite messaging influences attitudes toward democratic norms and civil liberties. Survey experiments are used to study how different framings and scenarios shape views on securitized issues and appropriate policy responses.

In addition to studying public response to security narratives and the breaking of democratic norms, the project analyzes patterns of non-response. Investigating who remain silent and in which scenarios people disengage from democratic evaluation is essential in understanding the full effect that securitization has on political participation and expectations.