This study investigates community discourses around democracy, with the aim of understanding how different segments of the community talk about democracy. By documenting such narratives and analysing them, it aims to reveal how different components of the community understand democracy (including its key elements or features), differences (or similarities) in understandings between them and levels of support for democracy among different cohorts.

In its attempt to understand community narratives, it also documents individuals’ concerns about how Australia’s democracy is functioning and what individuals believe to be future threats. These insights, as well as those related to understandings of democracy, can be used to inform public discussions about Australia’s democracy and to target initiatives that go towards strengthening democracy. Indeed, strengthening democratic resilience necessarily involves understanding and shaping narratives as well as policy and programmatic efforts.

The study aims to understand:

• How do different segments of the Australian population understand democracy. For them, what are its key elements or features?
• What are the differences and similarities in understandings of democracy between different communities or demographics?
• Do levels of support for democracy vary between different segments of the population?
• How are conversations about democracy framed?