Public Opinion

Catalog description

Examines nature and role of public opinion from a comparative perspective, providing a broad-based introduction to the dynamics of citizens' social and political attitudes. The goal of the course is to help students arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of forces that shape beliefs, attitudes, and opinions of the public, how those views are publicly expressed, and the influence of those opinions on policy outcomes. While the design, implementation, and analysis of public opinion surveys and election polls will be discussed, the course focuses on the substantive, and not the methodological aspects of public opinion. 001138