CSES Module 6: 2021-2026

The theme of CSES Module 6, titled “Representative Democracy Under Pressure,” focuses on the impact of electoral institutions on political behavior, the nature of cleavages and alignments, and the evaluation of democratic processes. The intellectual motivation for Module 6 emerges from the need to understand and explain how the public engages in democracies that are straining to realize ideal outcomes, and the role of citizens in contributing to – or buttressing against – declines in democracy. To that end, the CSES Module 6 questionnaire asks about the functioning of democracy, political trust, and support; representation and democratic procedures; and preferences over alternative forms of government. CSES Module 6 also incorporates questions about the COVID-19 pandemic.