AUTOCRATIZATION AND PUBLIC OPINION ONDEMOCRACY: INSIGHTS FROM TURKEY
type: CreativeWork
description: In recent years, Freedom House (2023) and the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute (2023) have documented a significant global surge in autocratization. While much research addresses the drivers of this wave, its consequences—especially for public opinion—remain underexplored. This gap is critical, given that regime types and transitions shape citizens' public opinion on democracy, ultimately affecting the long-term stability and consolidation of autocratizing regimes. This dissertation examines how autocratization, through changes in political and informational environments, shapes citizens’ understanding of democracy, evaluations of regime democraticness, and support for democracy, using Turkey’s recent shift from a flawed democracy to a competitive authoritarian regime as a case study. The analysis draws on diverse data sources, including the World Values Survey, V-Dem and Freedom House indices, national statistics, and Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) electoral manifestos. Regarding citizens' understanding of democracy, the findings highlight how diminishing opportunities for meaningful democratic engagement have significantly eroded the liberal-procedural understanding of democracy among the populace. Notably, this erosion suggests that direct experiences with shifting political environments exerted a more substantial influence than the regime's mediated portrayals of democracy. Despite the AKP's increasing rhetorical emphasis on procedural legitimacy, citizens' emphasis on procedural aspects of democracy has declined. Concerning the social understanding of democracy, the early discourse and reform initiatives undertaken by the AKP initially bolstered citizens' understandings of social democracy. However, this influence receded as the regime reduced its focus on these themes. Concerning evaluations of regime democraticness, the study identifies a paradoxical positive correlation between autocratization and citizens' evaluations of democratic performanc…
abstract: In recent years, Freedom House (2023) and the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute (2023) have documented a significant global surge in autocratization. While much research addresses the drivers of this wave, its consequences—especially for public opinion—remain underexplored. This gap is critical, given that regime types and transitions shape citizens' public opinion on democracy, ultimately affecting the long-term stability and consolidation of autocratizing regimes. This dissertation examines how autocratization, through changes in political and informational environments, shapes citizens’ understanding of democracy, evaluations of regime democraticness, and support for democracy, using Turkey’s recent shift from a flawed democracy to a competitive authoritarian regime as a case study. The analysis draws on diverse data sources, including the World Values Survey, V-Dem and Freedom House indices, national statistics, and Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) electoral manifestos. Regarding citizens' understanding of democracy, the findings highlight how diminishing opportunities for meaningful democratic engagement have significantly eroded the liberal-procedural understanding of democracy among the populace. Notably, this erosion suggests that direct experiences with shifting political environments exerted a more substantial influence than the regime's mediated portrayals of democracy. Despite the AKP's increasing rhetorical emphasis on procedural legitimacy, citizens' emphasis on procedural aspects of democracy has declined. Concerning the social understanding of democracy, the early discourse and reform initiatives undertaken by the AKP initially bolstered citizens' understandings of social democracy. However, this influence receded as the regime reduced its focus on these themes. Concerning evaluations of regime democraticness, the study identifies a paradoxical positive correlation between autocratization and citizens' evaluations of democratic performanc…
author: ASLAN, REMZIYE GUL
language: eng
keywords: autocratization, public opinion, political attitudes, Settore GSPS-02/A - Scienza politica
date published: 2025-06-20
date modified: 2026-07-27T20:18:48Z
provider: Università degli Studi di Milano
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Università degli Studi di Milano

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1161658