Jasper Johns, Flag (detail), 1954-55 (MoMA)

Photo courtesy Steven Zucker via flickr

About us

Who counts as a “real” American? What is required of a “good” citizen? Is American democracy flourishing or floundering? In today’s deeply polarized America, the answers to these questions depend on who you ask, but the ways that people answer them matter for us all. The Meanings of Democracy Lab, founded and directed by sociologist Dr. Ruth Braunstein, engages students and partners in collaborative research and discussion about the contested moral and cultural foundations of American democratic life. Current projects focus on the moral meanings of taxpaying and on battles over American identity and history.

Contact us

If you are interested in participating in or collaborating with the Meanings of Democracy Lab, please contact
Dr. Ruth Braunstein at ruth.braunstein@uconn.edu.

What’s New

  • News Weekly Round-Up, August 26th – August 30th
    News Weekly Round-Up, August 26th – August 30th, 2024. The Weekly Roundup is a student-led initiative of the Meanings of Democracy Lab highlighting the latest news about Christian Nationalism and resistance to it. Picking up from last week, the Meanings’ team followed stories on Christian resistance against Christian Nationalism and more. Here’s the latest on […]
  • The Company You Keep
    The Company You Keep is a living resource documenting organizations and individuals with ties to Project 2025 and resistance efforts to Christian Nationalism. Last update: August 28, 2024 Undercover investigators from the Centre for Climate Reporting recorded a conversation with Russell Vought, a key author of Project 2025 and former appointee as the deputy director […]
  • News Weekly Round-Up, August 19th – August 23rd
    News Weekly Round-Up, August 19th – August 23rd, 2024. The Weekly Roundup is a student-led initiative of the Meanings of Democracy Lab highlighting the latest news about Christian Nationalism and resistance to it. This week, the Meanings’ team followed stories on Christian resistance against Christian Nationalism and more. Here’s the latest on Christian Nationalism! CHRISTIAN […]

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