Descriptif

What do citizens think about politics and why does it matter? This course introduces students to the dynamics of public opinion and political behaviour. It will provide students with a theoretical understanding of the nature and origins of public opinion. We will explore the mechanisms through which citizens’ attitudes and behaviours are formed, organized, and altered over time. We will discuss the role of public opinion and its implications in democratic societies. The course will also introduce students to the modern practice of public opinion, going beyond traditional survey-based approaches, and engaging them with cutting-edge research that relies on digital trace data to address longstanding questions in political science.

Pré-requis souhaités

Aucun

Examens

Through this course students are expected to produce:

• A 500 word problem statement / rationale / research question.
• A 5 minute video presentation.
• An 3000 words essay.

Bibliographie indicative

• Dalton, R.J., 2020. Citizen politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Sage.
• Glynn, C.J., Herbst, S., Lindeman, M., O’Keefe, G. and Shapiro, R. 2018. Public Opinion. Routledge.

Formule pédagogique

Asynchronous learning. This course is delivered through asynchronous online lectures. Each week two to three videos covering the main concepts of the course will be shared with the students. All students are expected to watch these videos, complete advance reading, prepare a research outline and a presentation and submit an essay.