NAVIGATING DEMOCRACY IN A PANDEMIC: THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON PUBLIC DEBATE AND DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES

Maja Pucelj; Angelo Viglianisi Ferraro; Anthony Hunt

doi:10.14210/nej.v29n3.p866-899

Authors

Maja Pucelj Faculty of Organisation Studies in Novo Mesto https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9063-9080
Angelo Viglianisi Ferraro Mediterranea University of Reggio Calbria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6480-3684
Anthony K. Hunt The University of Texas at Austin https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2513-143X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14210/nej.v29n3.p866-899

Keywords:

COVID-19, Public Debate, Disinformation, Fake news, Public Trust in Institutions

Abstract

Contextualization: This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on democratic discourse across nine European countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, and Spain. The research focuses on key challenges such as governmental decision-making, transparency, trust in institutions, scrutiny of the electoral process, and the influence of media and social protests on shaping public debate. The study is part of the EU CERV HEARD project.

Objectives: The primary aim is to investigate how the pandemic affected democratic discourse, with a focus on the perspectives of under-represented European citizens. The study also explores the relationship between health crises and social inequalities and highlights the importance of legal measures that safeguard democratic engagement during crises.

Methodology: Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) was used to analyze qualitative data from panel debates held in nine countries between April and June 2023. A total of 313 participants contributed, and the discussions were transcribed and systematically coded to identify key themes related to the pandemic’s impact on democratic processes.

Results: The findings indicate that the pandemic negatively impacted democracy, with reports of power exploitation by national politicians and a rise in misinformation. The study also highlights how the pandemic worsened social inequalities, particularly in democratic participation. However, the conclusions are limited by a lack of diversity among participants, and future research should include a broader demographic and assess the long-term effects of the pandemic on democracy.

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Author Biographies

Maja Pucelj, Faculty of Organisation Studies in Novo Mesto

Graduated from the Faculty of Public Administration in Ljubljana and the Faculty of Management in Koper, and received her master's degree from the New University Faculty of government and European Studies and the European Faculty of Law. She completed her first doctorate at Alma Mater Europaea - ISH in the field of humanities, and completed her second doctorate by New University Faculty of government and European Studies in the field of international studies with an emphasis on human rights. She started her career as a policewoman, where she also participated in a special police unit, she continued her career as a risk manager, head of legal services in the field of leasing and banking, as a director of marketing and auditor in an audit company. Before joining EMUNI and FOŠ, she worked as an advisor to the Minister of Education, Science and Sport in the fields of pre-school education, primary education, secondary and higher education, adult education and the quality of education and as an undersecretary in the Cohesion Policy department at the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports. She is an author of numerous works in the field of integration of Muslims into Western countries, Islamophobia and questioning the meaningfulness of the ban on covering the face in the context of the human rights of Muslim women.

Angelo Viglianisi Ferraro, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calbria

Aggregate Professor and the Erasmus Coordinator, Department of Law, Economics and Human Science, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calbria.

Anthony K. Hunt, The University of Texas at Austin

Human Resources Director with an extensive educational and professional background. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Resources Development from Texas A&M University, a Master’s in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University, a Master’s in Human Resources and a Master’s of International Relations, both from the University of Oklahoma, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.

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