Partizipationsvorstellungen von Bürger:innen: Eine explorative Anwendung der Draw&Write-Technik als Survey-Instrument

In a Bavaria-wide postal survey, the target persons were asked to draw their idea of democracy using the Draw&Write technique. An image type analysis showed that the images in the collected data set confirm the great importance attached to voting in a democracy. However, the new method used in this area leads to considerable differences compared to the results of standardised surveys. The added value of the Draw&Write technique is demonstrated by the fact that the data material not only reflects the familiar categories of representative, direct-democratic, deliberative or demonstrative participation. Some of the drawings were assigned to two further categories: 1) complaints about perceived powerlessness and lack of influence in the face of a representative system of rule and 2) appeals for consensus and a willingness to take responsibility as conditions that citizens must fulfil if participation in the political process is to succeed. Furthermore, the result is of great value because the drawing task was used as part of a postal survey. There is only a bias with regard to the education variable, but this is also to be expected when using open-ended questions.