From political apathy to democracy: Investigating the role of popular movements in Sweden’s democratization

This project investigates the democratization and consolidation of democracy in Sweden from the 1880s to the 1930s, a crucial case for understanding how stable democracies are created.

Through an examination of pro-democratic protests and the response of political elites, the study sheds light on the role of popular movements during democratization and democratic consolidation.

Specifically, the study focuses on how pro-democratic movement networks and collective action frames developed, and how they impacted and adjusted to elite behaviour.

The project combines quantitative and qualitative methods, using digitised Swedish newspapers to create a database of protest events, and archival material from elite politicians.

By analysing how pro-democratic protests, networks, and demands evolved over time and examining movements’ and elites’ perceptions of democracy, the study will contribute to research on the role of social movements, protests, and political participation for the development and consolidation of democracy.

The study will shed light on factors that promote or hinder democratic consolidation, providing insights into how successful democratization processes can be sustained. This interdisciplinary project involves researchers from sociology, political science, and economic history. The project spans three years.

The first 10 months are devoted to coding protest events, constructing the database and archival work, and the remaining 26 months to analysis and writing.