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

  • Resistance to Christian Nationalism profiled in UConn Today
    Director Ruth Braunstein talked to UConn Today about the Meanings of Democracy Lab’s new project mapping the growing field of resistance to Christian Nationalism in the United States. Thanks to a new $300,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, Braunstein will scale up this work through a podcast and interactive web platform where users can […]
  • Profiles in Resistance: MICAH
      Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope was founded upon the idea of bringing different religious denominations together as one voice for justice. The organization includes Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, and other religious communities who, as a collective, act towards civic engagement, criminal justice reform, and economic development, among other initiatives. The We All Belong […]
  • Debating Christian Nationalism at the Super Bowl
    By: MoD Lab Research Team Super Bowl: a time for family and friends to sit back, relax, and enjoy prime American entertainment. It is estimated that almost 202.4 million people tuned in to watch the Super Bowl on February 11th. Along with the game comes the infamous commercials, all tapping into the different realms of […]

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