Authoritarian Socialization in Childhood and the Making of AfD Supporters
This study examines how socialization under strict authority structures—within the family and through civic education—shapes support for far-right parties in adulthood. Drawing on theories of political socialization and authoritarian personality, I hypothesize that exposure to rigid parental discipline and authority-centered civic learning environments fosters enduring dispositions toward authority and order, which later translate into far-right support. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), the study analyzes how childhood parenting styles—measured through an original authoritarian parenting index capturing discipline, autonomy, punishment, and emotional warmth—are associated with adult authoritarian values and support for the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). To identify the role of institutional socialization, the analysis exploits the collapse of the GDR in 1990 as an exogenous shock to civic education, comparing cohorts exposed to authority-centered schooling in East Germany during their formative years (ages 7–17) to comparable West German cohorts. This study further hypothesizes an interaction between authoritarian family and institutional socialization, whereby the effects of authoritarian civic education are strongest among individuals raised in highly controlling family environments. By theorizing and testing these mechanisms, the project aims to clarify the developmental origins of authoritarianism and the social foundations of far-right mobilization in contemporary democracies.
Democracy Learned or Lost? Formative Regime Experiences and Attitudinal Legacies During Backsliding (with Anja Neundorf)
This study examines how formative regime experiences shape both normative and performance-based (instrumental) democratic support during periods of backsliding. Using cross-sectional data from 1994 to 2020 across 24 autocratization episodes, we draw on theories of attitudinal development to argue that regime performance during the formative years—particularly around age 18—can influence later democratic attitudes. Comparing individuals who came of age during autocratization to those socialized under democratic conditions within the same countries, the results show a strong cohort effect: economic growth during the formative years significantly predicts democratic support for those socialized under backsliding. Contrary to initial expectations, higher growth boosts democratic attachment, while support for authoritarian alternatives is largely unaffected. These findings suggest that performance-based evaluations can reinforce democratic attachments even when normative support is presumed to erode, highlighting the enduring influence of early regime experiences and civic learning under uncertain political conditions.
When the Center Speaks, Who Listens? The Moral Mediation of Voter Attitudes Toward the Radical Right
This study examines how the moralization of policy messaging by mainstream parties influences voter attitudes, particularly in response to radical right parties. Drawing on theories from moral psychology and issue framing, I argue that moralized messages from mainstream elites exert a stronger impact on voters than pragmatic ones—especially when voters feel close to the party or hold strong moral convictions about the issue at stake. Building on frameworks of moralized political communication, I incorporate the strategic dimension of mainstream party responses—namely, accommodation versus opposition—to propose that the interaction between message tone (moral vs. pragmatic) and party strategy shapes voters’ perceptions of party competence and their willingness to compromise with the radical right. To test these hypotheses, I conduct a vignette-based survey experiment in Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom, presenting participants with varied responses from mainstream parties to radical right moralized messaging on immigration. Preliminary evidence from Spain indicates that only mainstream left voters are more likely to support compromise with the far right under pragmatic frames. The full survey results will be available in 2026. This study introduces a new framework for understanding how the interplay between elite rhetoric and voters’ moral convictions shapes attitudes toward radical challengers.