Project: Perception of democratic values during a full-scale invasion: a qualitative study.
Client: Kharkiv Institute for Social Research (KhISR).
Methodology: 5 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 10 in-depth interviews (IDIs).
Target audience: (1) Ukrainians living in rear, front-line, de-occupied regions, (2) Ukrainians living abroad (Europe, USA, etc.).
Key objectives of the study:
- To find out how the perception of Ukraine as a democratic state has changed after February 24, 2022.
- To assess the level of personal responsibility of citizens for preserving democracy and their willingness to participate in public control even during war.
- To investigate the willingness of society to restrict certain rights and freedoms for the sake of security and victory.
The study “Freedom and Democracy in Wartime” is a sensitive and intellectually broad topic that required the involvement of respondents with completely different life experiences: from residents of frontline cities to people building a life in exile.
In this project, Yasno Research & Consulting Group specialists provided research support, focusing on fieldwork.
This included complex multi-layered recruitment and professional moderation of discussions according to the provided guide.
Each respondent underwent a multi-level screening for compliance with the criteria: geographical, age, socio-professional diversity. Ukrainians currently living abroad participated in the project.
Yasno Research acted as a reliable technical and methodological partner, providing moderation of focus groups and in-depth interviews. Online discussions were held on the Zoom platform with full technical support for respondents (connection check, assistance with settings).
As part of a sociological study based on a qualitative approach, analytical materials were collected on the perception of freedom and democracy in Ukraine in the context of a full-scale war. The qualitative method allowed us to record not only declarative assessments, but also deep meanings, arguments and contexts in which respondents comprehend democratic values and social changes.
The focus of the study covered key aspects of the functioning of democracy during war, in particular, perceptions of rights and freedoms, the role of the state, mechanisms of accountability of authorities and citizens’ participation in public life. The obtained materials reflect how the balance between security needs, the effectiveness of public administration and the preservation of democratic principles is formed in public consciousness during martial law.
Special attention was paid to freedom of speech and the information environment as basic elements of a democratic system. The study allowed us to trace how perceptions of the boundaries of public statements, the role of the media, expert communities and citizens in maintaining public dialogue in war conditions are changing.
Qualitative sociological analysis also covers the perception of other civil liberties — freedom of movement, religion, assembly and civic activism — and ways of rethinking them in conditions of wartime restrictions and extraordinary powers of the state.
An important part of the study was the study of mechanisms of public control and accountability of the authorities in a situation of limited democratic procedures. The obtained materials reflect the transformation of expectations regarding the role of state institutions, civil society and informal practices of participation during the war.
The study takes into account social, territorial and experiential differences between participants, in particular the experience of life in the rear, frontline and de-occupied regions, as well as abroad. This allows us to consider the perception of democracy and freedom as a dynamic social process, formed under the influence of military experience.
The obtained results form an analytical basis for further sociological research, expert discussions and strategic decisions in the field of development of democracy, rights and freedoms in Ukraine during the war and in the post-war period.
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