Frédéric GONTHIER
University Professor
Political sociology
Laboratory(ies): PACTE
Keywords
- Quantitative methods
- Sociology of values
- Political psychology
- Political attitudes
Biography
Frédéric Gonthier is a professor of political science at Sciences Po Grenoble (Université Grenoble Alpes) and a researcher at the PACTE laboratory (CNRS). His research focuses on the evolution of value systems in Europe and the associated electoral dynamics.
Internationally, he serves as the scientific director forthe International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) and the European Values Survey (EVS) in France. Nationally, he coordinates Challenge 2, “Rethinking the Spaces and Forms of Citizenship,” within the DemoCIS program ( AMI SHS), where he oversees the Democracy Barometer—Everyday Perceptions.
He has co-edited *French Democracy in Distress*. Challenges and Opportunities in French Politics (Springer, 2025) and Investigating Forty Years of French Politics Through Value Changes (Springer, 2024). His work has been published in national and international journals such as Acta Politica, European Journal of Political Research, European Political Science Review, French Politics, Political Psychology, Party Politics, Revue Française de science politique, and West European Politics.
Responsibilities
- Elected member of the Board of Directors of Sciences Po Grenoble-UGA
- Scientific Coordinator of Challenge 2, "Rethinking the Spaces and Forms of Citizenship," under the DemoCIS program (AMI SHS)
- Principal Investigator for the Democracy Barometer – Everyday Perceptions, within the DemoCIS program (AMI SHS)
- Scientific manager of ISSP and EVS surveys at IR* Progedo
- Scientific referent for the Grenoble Alpes University Data Platform, MHS Alpes.
- Member of the editorial board of the journal *French Politics*, published by Palgrave Macmillan.
- Member of the editorial board of the European Values Studies series, Editions Brill.
Current Projects
DemoCIS
The multifaceted democratic crisis—marked by rising voter abstention, distrust of politicians, societal polarization, and information chaos—confronts our societies with the challenge of (re)building a sense of community in the face of fragmented public spheres. To address this, the project Democracies, Citizenship and Institutions facing the transformations of public Spheres (DemoCIS) aims to explore the changes and challenges facing democracies in a constantly evolving world. The project will receive €9 million in funding from France 2030 to address four major challenges: Responding to the crisis of institutions through democratic innovation: decision-making, deliberation, and the evolution of institutional public spheres, Rethinking the venues and forms of civic expression: everyday citizenship and new spaces of democracy, Addressing societal polarization and information disorder: information and knowledge transmission, Strengthening threatened democracies: democratic conflicts and insecurities through the lens of the rule of law.
Publications
France’s Democratic Malaise: Stop Blaming Citizens, Start Reforming Institutions
Frédéric Gonthier , Nonna Mayer
2025
French Democracy in Distress: Challenges and Opportunities in French Politics
Élodie Druez , Frédéric Gonthier , Camille Kelbel , Nonna Mayer , Felix-Christopher von Nostitz , Vincent Tiberj
Springer Nature Switzerland, 445 pp., 2025, French Politics, Society and Culture, 9783031922121. 10.1007/978-3-031-92213-8
A Realistic Call for Democratic Reform in France
Frédéric Gonthier , Nonna Mayer , Élodie Druez , Felix-Christopher von Nostitz , Camille Kelbel
Élodie Druez; Frédéric Gonthier; Camille Kelbel; Nonna Mayer; Felix-Christopher von Nostitz; Vincent Tiberj. French Democracy in Distress: Challenges and Opportunities in French Politics, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 415–435, 2025, French Politics, Society and Culture, 978-3-031-92213-8. 10.1007/978-3-031-92213-8_17
France as a Lens for Understanding Democratic Challenges
Nonna Mayer , Frédéric Gonthier , Élodie Druez , Felix-Christopher von Nostitz , Camille Kelbel
Élodie Druez; Frédéric Gonthier; Camille Kelbel; Nonna Mayer; Felix-Christopher von Nostitz; Vincent Tiberj. French Democracy in Distress: Challenges and Opportunities in French Politics, Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 1–23, 2025, French Politics, Society and Culture, 9783031922121. 10.1007/978-3-031-92213-8_1
What Drives Dissatisfied Democrats? Views of Democracy, Democratic Satisfaction and Voting
Frédéric Gonthier
French Democracy in Distress: Challenges and Opportunities in French Politics, Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 341–370, 2025, French Politics, Society and Culture, 978-3-031-92213-8. 10.1007/978-3-031-92213-8_14
Thesis supervision
Louise BRUYAS
Resist, join in, or remain silent. Women in the Face of Democratic Decline.