Projects

    • IMCODED: Improving Communication on Democracy and EU Deficits
      • funding: Agency for supporting science and research
      • duration: 2018 – 2021
      • role: principal investigator
      • short description:Central Europe is facing a considerable challenge in a form of constant undermining of country’s geopolitical orientation and the political regime’s values and democratic principles. Based on the Euroscepticism research the project’s ambition is to create a targeted communication campaign by employing innovative, customized approaches to individual types of citizens. This approach stems from the evidence-based policy-making philosophy. To reach the main goal, we will first identify the sources and mechanisms of the formation of negative attitudes towards democratic political system (anti-system attitudes) and the EU. The project will apply the data collection method that is rather unique in this area of research, including in the broader Central European area: longitudinal representative public opinion research, with additional focus groups and experimental methods. This way the IMCODED project aims to fulfil the following partial goals: 1) to analyze the sources of anti-democratic and anti-European attitudes, 2) to identify factors that contribute to changing these attitudes over time in both directions (positive or negative), and 3) to identify communication channels and forms through which the values of democracy and the European Union are most effectively communicated.
    • CODES: Comprehending and Debating Euroscepticism
    • duration: 2017 – 2018
    • role: deputy principal investigator
    • short description:

      CODES was a project combining research and public awareness building, co-funded by the Europe for Citizens Programme of the European Union. The project develops the discussion with citizens on their perception of the EU membership and will ignite citizens’ thinking about the alternatives and possible negative consequences of the future without the EU. Our main aim is to raise awareness and recognition of the EU benefits among citizens, as our previous experience tells us the EU is often portrayed as a distant blaming figure for the bad policies, while the benefits remain unreported and under discussed. Through public debates we will identify the sources of public Euroscepticism and fears as a prerequisite for it to be addressed in a meaningful way.  Through roundtable-style workshops with local opinion makers we will identify tools with the highest potential to present benefits of the EU in local environment. The main project output will be INNOVATIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY based on bottom–up approach in communicating the EU. The outcomes and lessons learned in the project might be actively used in preparation of the EP elections´ communication strategy. Thus, conclusions of the project will be presented to EU institutions and Member States ministries of EU affairs ahead of the campaign leading to EP elections in 2019.