Public Opinion, Political Behavior, and Policy

Catalog description

Politicians and members of the media often refer to public opinion when discussing policy options and political strategy. Scholars study public opinion as a way to describe and explain political behavior, social divisions, and policy debates. But what is 'public opinion' and does it affect policy decisions, voting, or activism? This course surveys classical and contemporary scholarly approaches to theorizing and measuring public opinion, as well as the role of 'public opinion' in the framing of political debate, political action,and the formation of public policy.