Global & International Studies - Pol Behavior & Attitude Change

Catalog description

This course introduces students to major theoretical and applied research in political behavior and attitude change using examples from the U.S. and other political systems around the world. We first examine origins of people’s political behavior, focusing on classic and contemporary theories of attitude and attitude change, political socialization, and key predispositions such as party identification, ideology, political polarization, personality traits and political culture. Then we investigate long-standing debates involving basic questions about the public’s political abilities – their level of knowledge, understanding and interest in political matters. The evidence for citizen's political competence as well as the absence of public knowledge will be scrutinized. We also explore political participation, including electoral choice, voters and non-voters, and measures of system support – for example trust in government and satisfaction with democracy. Finally, we assess the extent to which political attitudes influence policy processes and the congruence between mass-elite outcomes.