Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

Anti-Politics: Characterising and Accounting for Political Disaffection, 2011-2012 includes transcripts from 14 focus groups held across the country which were conducted to accompany the Audit of Political Engagement 9, 2011 (available from the UK Data Archive under SN 7098). A key objective of the research was to build on existing datasets to expand the knowledge of an important topic: why so many citizens are disillusioned with politics. Whilst much is known about the public’s disaffection with politics, understanding its root causes is complex. This study examined the expectations and attitudes citizens have towards politics, political processes and their outcomes and how this affects their levels of political interest, participation and satisfaction.

Further information is available on the Hansard Society Anti-Politics project webpage and the ESRC Award Anti-Politics: Characterising and Accounting for Political Disaffection webpage.


Main Topics:

The focus groups discussed: participant's understanding of politics, how politics relates to them, how they think the political system works and how it could be made to work better.

The demographic survey collected basic demographic information as well as information about respondent’s interest in politics.