Mediated Contact with Politicians and Citizens’ Experiences of Democracy

Abstract

In contemporary society, democracy is increasingly experienced through media rather than direct political engagement. Since people constitute the core of democracy, their perceptions of it matter for the functioning of democratic societies. Rooted in the constructivist paradigm and utilising interviews and focus groups, this study explores how mediated contact with politicians influences experiences of democracy. The findings show that such encounters are interpreted in ways that construct politicians as distant and problematic, generating affective responses like shame and disappointment. These responses are associated with shifts in trust and with citizens distancing themselves from democratic participation.