Research Project: The Danish National Election Study (DNES).
The project began in 1971 and is the longest-running cross-section study in Denmark. Survey data have been collected after every following national election. The survey data is currently the most frequently downloaded dataset in the Danish National Survey Archives. I have been principal investigator since 2014. See www.valgprojektet.dk for more information.
From the project a number of publications are available e.g.:
- Hansen, K.M. & R. Stubager (eds.) (2021) Klimavalget. Folketingsvalget 2019. København: Djøf Forlag.
- Stubager, R., K.M. Hansen, M.S. Lewis-Beck & R. Nadeau (2021) The Danish Voter: Democratic Ideals and Challenges. Michigan: Michigan University Press
- Hansen, K.M. & R. Stubager (eds.) (2017) Oprør fra udkanten. Folketingsvalget 2015. København: Djøf Forlag.
- Bengtsson, Å., K.M. Hansen, O.P. Harðarson, H.M. Narud & H. Oscarsson (2014) The Nordic Voter: Myths of Exceptionalism. ECPR-Press: Colchester.
- Stubager, R., K.M. Hansen & J. Goul Andersen (2013) Krisevalg - Økonomien og folketingsvalget 2011. København: Djøf Forlag.
The Danish Turnout Project
I am principal investigator of the project, where we investigate why people vote, applying a unique government records panel dataset of the actual turnout from the 2009-2021 Danish elections. Besides actually validated turnout the dataset includes very detailed socio-demographics, family relationships, and moving patterns.
Furthermore, as part of the project we conduct a number of large Get-out-the-Vote (GOtV) field experiments set-out to increase turnout. These experiments are set up to evaluate the effect of GOtV initiatives in a multi-party context with historically high turnout.
The project is currently funded by TrygFonden, Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior, The Danish Youth Council, and The Danish Institute for Human Rights.
From the project a number of publications are available e.g.:
- Sønderskov, K.M., P.T. Dinesen, S.E. Finkel & K.M. Hansen (2022) Crime Victimization Increases Turnout: Evidence from Individual-Level Administrative Panel Data. British Journal of Political Science. 52(1): 399-407.
- Dahlgaard, J.O., Y. Bhatti, J.H. Hansen & K.M. Hansen (2021) Living Together, Voting Together: Voters moving in together before an election have higher turnout. British Journal of Political Science. Online early access.
- Amilon, A., K.M. Hansen, A.A. Kjær & T. Steffensen (2021) Estimating disability prevalence and disability-related inequalities: Does the choice of measure matter? Social Science & Medicine. 272:113740.
- Dahlgaard, J.O. & K.M. Hansen (2021) Twice the trouble: Twinning and the cost of voting. Journal of Politics. 83(3): 1173-1177.
- Bhatti, Y., E. Fieldhouse & K.M. Hansen (2020) It’s a Group Thing: How Voters go to the Polls Together. Political Behavior. 42(1):1-34.
- Dahlgaard, J.O., J.H. Hansen, K.M. Hansen & Y. Bhatti (2019) Bias in Self-reported Voting and How it Distorts Turnout Models: Disentangling Nonresponse Bias and Overreporting Among Danish Voters. Political Analysis, Online early access
- Bhatti, Y., J. O. Dahlgaard, J. H. Hansen & K.M. Hansen (2015) Getting Out the Vote With Evaluative Thinking. American Journal of Evaluation. 36(3):389-400.
- Bhatti, Y., J. Elklit & K.M. Hansen (2013) ”Hvorfor faldt valgdeltagelsen?” pp. 61-79 in J. Elklit & U. Kjær (eds.) KV09: Analyser af kommunalvalget 2009. Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag.
- Bhatti, Y. & K.M. Hansen (2012) Leaving the Nest and the Social Act of Voting: Turnout among First-Time Voters. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties. 22(4):380-406.
- Bhatti, Y., K.M. Hansen & H. Wass (2012) The relationship between age and turnout: A roller-coaster ride. Electoral Studies. 31(3):588-593.
- Bhatti, Y., K.M. Hansen (2011) ”Valgdeltagelsen blandt danske unge”. pp. 123-137 in Valgretskommissionens. Demokrati for fremtiden – Valgretskommissionens betænkning om unges demokratiske engagement. Copenhagen: DUF - The Danish Youth Council.
Opinion Formation from an Experimental Perspective
The aim of the project is to answer the question: “How do information and arguments shape the Danes’ political opinions?”
Through opinion surveys, the project assesses the stability of the citizens’ political opinions and how information and arguments influence the opinions expressed in the surveys. The project uses split-sample surveys combined with survey experiments and discrete choice experiments on a representative national sample of Danish citizens (n=2,000). The issues include public services such as schools and opinions toward the European Union and political ideology.
The project is funded by the Danish Research Council, and I am the principal investigator.
From the project a number of publications are available e.g.:
- Hansen, K.M. & M. Bech (2012) Forcing voters to choose by using discrete choice experiments to estimate political preferences. Working Paper no. 2012-3. Centre for Parties and Voting: Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen.
- Hansen, Kasper M. (2007) “The Sophisticated Public: The Effect of Competing Frames on public opinion”. Scandinavian Political Studies. Vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 377-396.
- Hansen, Kasper M. (2007) ”The effects of incentives, interview length, and interviewer characteristics on response rates in a CATI-study”. International Journal Public Opinion Research. Vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 112-121.
OPEC - Online Panel of Electoral Campaigning
What kind of effect do the political campaigns have on the voters?
From 2001 to 2005 the Danish political parties’ campaign spending increased by more than 30 % to around 100 million DKK. The political campaigns spend more and more resources, but the knowledge of their effect is very limited. Basically, we have no idea whether the public and private money given to the parties and spent on campaigning have any effect at all.
Through a large online panel of the voters (n=10,000) the activities during the campaigning will be monitored. The survey will include a split-sample experiment. The aim of the project is to develop the dominating American models of campaign effect to a multiparty system where political campaigning on e.g. TV is forbidden.
Principal investigator: Kasper M. Hansen, funded by the Danish Research Council.
From the project a number of publications are available e.g.:
- Hansen, Kasper M. (2008) Hvordan påvirker valgkampen vælgerne?" pp. 149-162 in Kosiara-Pedersen, K. Kurrild-Klitgaard, P. (eds.) Partier og partisystemer i forandring: Festskrift til Lars Bille. Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag.
- Hansen, K.M. & K. Kosiara-Pedersen. (eds.) (2014) Folketingsvalgkampen 2011 i perspektiv. København: DJØF-forlag
- Hansen, K. M & K. Kosiara-Pedersen (2017) How campaigns polarize the electorate: Political polarization as an effect of the minimal effect theory within a multi-party system. Party Politics. 23(3):181-192.