The health of American democracy is facing challenges, with experts pointing to recent democratic backsliding, deepening partisan divisions, and growing anti-democratic attitudes and rhetoric. In this issue of Science, Research Articles, a Policy Forum, a Science News feature, and a related Editorial highlight how the tools of science and technology are being used to address this growing concern and how the upcoming U.S. presidential election could impact U.S. science.
In one research study in this special issue, Jonathan Chu and colleagues sought to understand whether understandings of democracy differ across societies. They investigated global conceptualizations of democracy by conducting conjoint survey experiments in six countries – the U.S., Italy, Egypt, India, Thailand, and Japan. Chu et al. found that participants consistently identified free and fair elections and the protection of civil liberties as the most essential attributes of a democracy, regardless of whether the country was a well-functioning democracy, backsliding, or non-democratic. Desirable social and economic outcomes were also linked to democracy but, compared to elections and civil liberties, played a smaller role. The findings provide empirical evidence of a universal preference for free and fair elections and civil liberties as the primary markers of democracy, offering a clearer framework for defending democratic norms worldwide.
Also in the special issue, Jan Voelkel and colleagues present a megastudy evaluating 25 interventions designed to reduce partisan animosity and anti-democratic attitudes in the U.S., involving more than 32,000 participants. Rather than expecting single, brief exposures to yield lasting changes, the study aimed to identify which general strategies are effective in influencing partisan and anti-democratic attitudes, thereby enhancing understanding of the key causal forces at play in this space. Voelkel et al. found that many strategies effectively reduced partisan animosity, particularly those emphasizing shared identities or highlighting relatable individuals with opposing political beliefs. Other interventions, like correcting misperceptions of rival partisans' views and emphasizing the risks of democratic collapse, successfully reduced anti-democratic attitudes. However, reducing partisan hostility did not always translate to a reduction in support for anti-democratic practices, indicating that the two issues are distinct. The findings suggest that interventions targeting both partisan animosity and anti-democratic attitudes can be effective and highlight specific strategies that may bolster democratic attitudes in a polarized society.
A summary of a third study in the special issue, led by Michael Tessler and which explores the use of AI to improve democratic deliberation, can be found in a separate SciPak entry.
"The articles by Chu et al., Voelkel et al., and Tessler et al. show that online surveys, experiments, and AI-assisted deliberation can help to improve democratic attitudes and build consensus among the public. We welcome the development and refinement of such tools but also caution against focusing too narrowly on public opinion," write Brendan Nyhan and Rocío Titiunik in a related Policy Forum. The Policy Forum highlights the strengths and/or limitations of the three studies. "Understanding and preventing democratic erosion requires an equal focus on political institutions, electoral rules, and the behavior of elites, the study of which is less amenable to experimentation and is often based on observational research designs and historical data."
A feature story in the special issue by Science's news team compares and contrasts what the science community could expect from a Donald Trump or Kamala Harris administration, examining issues like S&T funding, science integrity, high skills immigration, and science education. In an Editorial, Science Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp further elaborates on elements in the news feature, including points on which there is agreement in the Trump and Harris camps. "One matter is the US approach to China, a rising research powerhouse," says Thorp.
Podcast: A segment of Science's weekly podcast with Jonathan Chu, related to this research, will be available on the Science.org podcast landing page after the embargo lifts. Reporters are free to make use of the segments for broadcast purposes and/or quote from them – with appropriate attribution (i.e., cite "Science podcast"). Please note that the file itself should not be posted to any other Web site.
