David Graham

David is a PhD candidate at UCL’s Department of Political Science and the recipient of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) studentship.

David stands by a built up canal/river development and faces the camera. He is smiling.

Room: 1.02/1.03, 36-38 Gordon Sq.
Email: david.graham.21@ucl.ac.uk

Biography:

David is PhD candidate at UCL’s Department of Political Science supervised by Prof Alan Renwick, Prof Ben Lauderdale and Dr Jack Blumenau. He completed an MSc in Democracy and Comparative Politics at UCL (2022) and a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Queen’s University Belfast (2021).

Research title:

A mixed methods investigation of the influence of deliberative mini-publics on political attitudes (provisional).

Research summary:

David’s project will investigate how deliberative mini-publics (DMPs), such as citizens’ assemblies, influence attitudes toward democracy. By reintegrating citizens into decision-making, DMPs are often presented as a promising innovation to tackle issues in democracy but more research on their effectiveness is needed.
Whilst research has shown that participating in DMPs can increase policy knowledge, faith in democracy, and trust in institutions these effects are restricted to small numbers of participants. Further study of how they influence the attitudes of the wider electorate will enhance understanding of the relationship between the public and democracy, facilitate better DMP design and inform contemporary debates about democratic reform.

Research interests:

Democratic innovations
Deliberative democracy
Comparative politics
Political behaviour and public opinion

Research groups:

Constitution Unit
Comparative Political Economy and Behaviour