Aqueous dispersions of water-soluble polymers of N-vinylcarboxamides, which contain, as a stabilizer, water-soluble, crosslinked graft polymers which are obtainable by free radical polymerization of compounds having at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in the presence of polyalkylene glycols, are prepared by free radical polymerization of N-vinylcarboxamides in an aqueous medium in the presence of said stabilizers and are used as drainage aids, flocculants and retention aids, as wet and dry strength agents and as fixing agents in papermaking.