The INTERFACED project (Interfaces for Democratic Participation: Deliberation, Mobilization, and Contestation Since the Onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic) officially launched on 22 January 2025 with a successful virtual kick-off meeting. This ambitious Horizon Europe programme, coordinated by City University of London, will run until December 2027.
In a time marked by declining trust in democracy and science, growing social divisions, and widening inequalities, INTERFACED seeks to explore how citizens have engaged with politics since the Covid-19 pandemic. The project aims to investigate how political participation has evolved and assess how effectively a plurality of political interactions enables genuine citizen involvement in decision-making and governance.
A multinational study involving eight European countries and Tunisia will be conducted, capturing a variety of political contexts, including environments where citizens actively oppose authoritarianism. The project will employ a diverse array of research methods —ranging from large-scale surveys and experiments to computational data analysis and ethnographic fieldwork—to create a comprehensive understanding of political participation in these countries.
By studying how citizens and governments interact, INTERFACED aims to bridge the gap between citizens and decision-makers by identifying ways to enhance democratic systems. The project will prioritise understanding and addressing the barriers that prevent marginalised and disengaged groups from participating in governance.
By providing practical policy recommendations, INTERFACED seeks to create more inclusive political systems that reduce inequalities, empower individuals, and ensure that democracy serves everyone.
The INTERFACED consortium brings together 11 partners from 10 countries, drawing on expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector. This diverse collaboration ensures a robust and innovative approach to research, practice, and policymaking:
Funded by the European Union (grant no. 101178268). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.