Public Opinion in American Politics
GOVT 246
Spring 2014 not offered
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This course examines public opinion in contemporary American politics. Central to the concept of a representative democracy is the idea that citizens hold elected officials accountable for the policies they enact (or fail to enact). However, this vision of democracy assumes the public holds relatively stable and meaningful political attitudes. This course turns our focus to the essential democratic linchpin of public opinion. We will discuss how to conceptualize and measure public opinion, where opinions or attitudes come from and how they are changed, the determinants of vote choice, and the relationship between public opinion and policy outcomes. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS GOVT |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (GOVT)(GOVT-American) |
Major Readings:
Herbert Asher, POLLING AND THE PUBLIC, 8th Edition
John Zaller, THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF MASS OPINION
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Examinations and Assignments:
2 short paper assignments, midterm, final, participating in a class project |
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