Why "Save Democracy" Doesn't Work
This Friday, June 19, at 9am on WMTP
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to follow someone around all day to see how they live their life and why they think the way they do? The research team did exactly that and the result is an ethnographic study on conservative voters called Faith, Family, Freedom, Place.
This week on the podcast, we’ll talk with lead author Scott Warren of the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins and coauthor Morgan Ramsey Elliot of ReD Strategies about observing the daily lives of dozens of people along with their friends, families, and neighbors and interviewing them to better understand how they think about American democracy.
One of their main findings is that the “Save Democracy” messaging of the left and many pro-democracy reform organizations falls flat because of a lack of faith in the democratic institutions that democracy depends on.
Our conversation with Scott and Morgan will examine
• Why “save democracy” messaging doesn’t resonate
• What makes an institution legitimate in the eyes of ordinary Americans
• What ethnographic research reveals that polling can’t
Most importantly, we’ll talk about what happens when researchers approach people with curiosity, seeking real understanding instead of diagnosis.
Join us live this Friday, June 19th at 9am — and bring your comments and questions. As always, the final, edited podcast will be published Monday of next week.
—Lura and Lauren
