Getting the Figures Right. Trends, Concepts and Measurement Issues with regard to Political Trust

Abstract

While US based research in general assumes a structural downward trend with regard to political trust, research in other geographical areas does not suggest such a downward trend. For Europe, political trust levels tend to be stable, and a limited number of countries have even experienced a rise in political trust. In some countries, levels have recovered dramatically after initial drops. While most countries in Central and Eastern Europe tend to be characterized by stable (and low) levels of political trust, some other countries seem embarked on a structural trend toward higher levels of trust. For this panel, therefore, we welcome empirical articles on recent evolutions with regard to political trust. Simultaneously, however, the concept of political trust itself, and its measurement remain a topic for intense academic debate. While some scholars argue that political trust is a cornerstone of a democratic civic culture, others would argue that distrust too is an important component of the political orientation of democratic citizens. Furthermore, recent articles have highlighted the question whether political trust should be conceptualized as a one-dimensional latent variable, or whether distinctions with regard to the object and the nature of trust are called for. While the Easton framework already proposed a distinction with regard to the object of trust, more recent contributions have further refined this approach. Both theoretical and empirical contributions to this debate are strongly welcomed.

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