Claims to individual autonomy and populist mobilization potentials: A survey-experimental study

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Ministry of Science Baden-Württemberg within the framework of the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal and State Governments

The aim of this project is to examine experimentally the extent to which political statements on claims to individual autonomy, especially with regard to a consumption-oriented lifestyle, can be used for mobilization by populist actors. Since the polarizing rhetoric of populist politics endangers the democratic consensus-building that is central to our pluralistic society the research topic of populist mobilization potentials is of great societal relevance. In the face of the emerging intensification of an ecological resource crisis, the defense of a lifestyle strongly oriented toward claims to individual autonomy - which in the course of this often is consumption-intensive - against state regulations is a predestined topic for populist mobilization. Anticipating the need for scientific monitoring of this emerging social conflict, the central concern of this research project is to develop an experimental instrument for exploring the associated political mobilization potentials.

Data collection for the project was completed in September 2023. Publication of initial results is planned for spring 2024.