Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) is a new approach to conceptualizing and measuring democracy. It is a collaboration among more than 50 scholars worldwide which is co-hosted by the Department of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden; and the Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame, USA. With four Principal Investigators, two Program managers, fifteen Project Managers, more than thirty Regional Managers, almost 200 Country Coordinators, and approximately 2,800 Country Experts, the V-Dem project is one of the largest social science data collection projects focusing on research. V-Dem collects data for 350+ indicators across a wide range of democracy aspects. Electoral democracy is in the centre and linked to this concept we find six additional dimensions of democracy: liberal, majoritarian, deliberative, participatory, consensual and egalitarian. In addition to a number of main indices, data is broken down into a number of components that are available to the user along with all indicators. Through the unique character of the database, old and new questions about the nature, growth and survival of democracy can be tested in a way not possible before. Data is available for 177 countries from 1900 to 2016. Altogether, the database consists of approximately 17 million data points. The database is updated annually and new datasets are launched every year in the spring. The dataset is available for download here: https://www.v-dem.net/en/data/data-version-7-1/ The data can also be explored online via: https://www.v-dem.net/en/analysis/ Purpose: The world's largest database on democracy. The database provides 350+ indicators for 177 countries 1900-2016.
Lindberg, S. I., & Boylan, J. C. (2013) "Ghana: A Country Report Based on Pilot-Study Data", V-Dem Country Report Series, No. 002, June 2012. Available online: https://v-dem.net/DemoComp/en/images/CR002Ghanapilot2012.pdf
Cornejo, R. C., Diop, A. S., & Coppedge, M. (2012) "Senegal: A Country Based Report Based on Data 1900-2012", V-Dem Country Report Series, No. 6, November 2013. Available online: https://v-dem.net/DemoComp/en/images/CR006Senegal.pdf
Hliang, A. A., Teehankee, J., Wang, Y., Mechkova, V., Ciobanu, V., & Lindberg S. I. (2013) "Myanmar/Burma: A Country Report Based on Data 1900-2012", V-Dem Country Report Series, No. 4, November 2013. Available online: https://v-dem.net/DemoComp/en/images/CR004Burmav4.pdf
Tiulegenov, M., Tzelgov, E., Mechkova, V., & Lindberg, S. I. (2013) "Georgia: A Country Based Report Based on Data 1900-2012", V-Dem Country Report Series, No. 3, October 2013. Available online: https://v-dem.net/DemoComp/en/images/CR003Georgiav10.pdf
Asante, R., Norman, M., Tzelgov, E., & Lindberg, S. I. (2012) "Media in West Africa: A Thematic Report Based on Data 1900-2012", V-Dem Thematic Report Series, No. 1, October 2013. Available online: https://v-dem.net/DemoComp/en/images/TR001MediainWAfricav5.pdf
Hicken, A. (2012) "Myanmar/Burma: A Country Based Report Based on Pilot-Study Data", V-Dem Country Report Series, No. 001, February 2012. Available online: https://v-dem.net/DemoComp/en/images/CR001Burmapilot2012.pdf
Cornejo, R. C. & Coppedge, M. (2013) "El Salvador: A Country Report Based on Data 1900-2012", V-Dem Country Report Series, No. 5, November 2013. Available online: https://v-dem.net/DemoComp/en/images/CR005ElSalvador.pdf
Teehankee, J., Tiulegenov, M., Wang, Y., Ciobanu, V., & Lindberg, S. I. (2013) "Party System in South and Southeast Asia: A Thematic Report Based on Data 1900-2012", V-Dem Thematic Report Series, No. 2, October 2013. Available online: https://v-dem.net/DemoComp/en/images/TR002PoliticalPartiesinSAv4.pdf
Kellogg Institute for International Studies
staffan.i.lindberg@pol.gu.se, sil@ufl.edu
Data on party political attitudes, political engagement and participation in the political process, voting behaviour, satisfaction with government. Use note: For data on specific political doctrines, use 'Political ideology'.
Data on elections, referendums, election campaigns, election results, candidates in elections, candidate selectors, election funding etc.
Government, political systems and organisations
Issues relating to national, regional and local government, governing bodies (e.g. the Government, Parliament, local government bodies), public administration, other political organisations such as political parties. For example, data on government policies, political parties and their policies, political party leaders, trust in government bodies.
International politics and organisations
Global governance, diplomacy, foreign policy, relations between countries, international organisations (e.g. the EU, WHO, UN, WTO), and international agreements.
Internal and international security and safety, internal and international conflicts, war and peace, national defence and defence forces (the army). Use note: The police are covered by 'Crime and law enforcement'.
Covers all aspects of the quality of life and well-being of individuals and societies, as well as people's perceptions thereof. Use note: Depending on the aspect studied, 'General health and well-being', 'Equality, inequality and social exclusion' and 'Economic conditions and indicators', etc. may be relevant as well.
ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO CITIZENS, OFTEN DEBATED IN PUBLIC, AND WHICH MAY REQUIRE ACTION OR POLICY CHANGES ON THE PART OF THE NATIONAL OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THE ISSUES MAY OR MAY NOT INFLUENCE VOTING.