2019 Lucerne

Politics and democracy in the digital age is the topic of the 6th Swiss Summer School of Democracy Studies which will be held from 24 to 28 June under the responsibility of the Department of Political Science at the University of Lucerne.

The Summer School focuses on digitalization, which strongly affects democracy at its core by changing the ways political actors, processes, and institutions work and develop. While an increasing number of studies in the social sciences deal with the theoretical and empirical implications of this trend, digitalization also affects the methodological toolboxes of researchers, allowing them to study new forms of data through new forms of means. Accordingly, the Summer School offers new insights into both, substantive and methodological innovations caused and enabled by digitalization in politics and science. More specifically, it focuses on the intersections between digitalization and democratic theory, political attitudes and behavior, political polarization, campaigning and social media.

The Summer School is an ideal setting for doctoral students, advanced MA students and postdoctoral researchers in political science, political communication, political theory and in various neighbouring disciplines who would like to:

• gain theoretical, empirical and methodological know-how on the transformation of politics through digitalization;
• receive feedback on their own work from both, experts and peers in their field of research; and
• meet and exchange with international experts and peers working on similar topics.

Besides the academic program, an attractive social program will be offered. Participants also receive a certificate.