Subfield Coordinator: Gabe Lenz

At Berkeley, we study what makes democracies work—or fail. We ask: when and why do citizens trust institutions? How do societies incorporate citizens into political life? What builds democratic accountability and responsiveness? What drives polarization and democratic backsliding? How do identity, prejudice, and inclusion shape political engagement, protest, and participation?

Our faculty have led in developing behavioral research tools for decades. We advance survey and experimental design, measurement, sampling, questionnaire construction, interviewing, and statistical analysis. We use surveys, experiments, and administrative data sets to push the boundaries of what we can know about political life.

Our research spans public opinion, political participation and protest, identity politics, immigration and incorporation, intergroup relations, accountability, and the forces that strengthen—or weaken—democratic norms.