Can Immersive Narrative Interventions Strengthen Support for Liberal Democracy?

Descrizione del progetto

Coinvolgere i cittadini nella democrazia nell’era della disinformazione

Il sostegno alla democrazia in tutto il mondo non è più così incrollabile come un tempo. L’opinione pubblica sta diventando sempre meno favorevole alla democrazia, e molti individui si sentono alienati dagli ideali democratici e sono sempre più esposti alla disinformazione. Inoltre, la maggior parte degli approcci utilizzati per comunicare i valori democratici di solito non riesce a entrare in sintonia con i singoli individui, riducendo il loro impatto nel promuovere un impegno autentico. Il progetto IMMERSE, finanziato dal CER, si propone di esaminare il ruolo di un nuovo approccio: i formati di narrazione immersiva come il teatro, i videogiochi e la realtà virtuale. Nello specifico, verrà valutato l’effetto delle narrazioni e delle emozioni sul legame dei cittadini con i valori democratici. L’obiettivo è sviluppare strumenti pratici per educatori e responsabili politici.

Obiettivo

Liberal democracy faces unprecedented threats, with public commitment to its principles and practices weaker than often assumed. This is highly problematic, as liberal democracy can only thrive when it relies on widespread support. One key issue is that conventional forms of communicating liberal democracy, such as descriptive and argumentative messaging, often fail to engage citizens deeply. IMMERSE tackles this urgent challenge by investigating whether embedding information about liberal democracy into immersive narrative interventions – featuring compelling plots, relatable characters, and meaningful lessons – can strengthen support for liberal-democratic principles and practices.

IMMERSE’s key theoretical contribution is that it integrates political science approaches on democratic citizenship with the interdisciplinary field of narrative persuasion, and identifies the most impactful narrative features and communication methods. The project highlights the crucial role emotions play, and establishes a new framework for understanding how support for liberal democracy can be fostered. Methodologically, the project is unique in comparing the effects of diverse narrative formats systematically, offering unprecedented insights into their relative effectiveness. IMMERSE also employs cutting-edge methods, including field and online survey experiments, physiological measures, and qualitative analyses.

Practically, IMMERSE develops innovative interventions, such as storytelling, live theatre, video games, and virtual reality, and examines how these can be scaled up and implemented in real-world settings like schools and media. The findings will provide a robust theoretical foundation for addressing democratic backsliding and fostering a stronger commitment to liberal-democratic principles and practices, while also equipping educators, policymakers, and media professionals with concrete tools to effectively communicate and promote these principles in diverse contexts.