210050 SE BAK13: SE Staatstätigkeit, Policy- und Governanceanalysen (2018S)

In a democracy, the views of citizens are expected to guide government activity and public policy. That makes public opinion a central concern in the study of democratic politics. This course examines public opinion in contemporary politics. The course will emphasize both how citizens' thinking about politics is shaped and the role of public opinion in political campaigns, elections, and government. We will discuss how to conceptualize and measure public opinion, where opinions “come from,” the nature of opinion about several salient issues, and whether public opinion affects policymaking. We will also consider normative questions, including the role opinion should play in a democracy. The course has four learning objectives:

1) You will evaluate theories of how people form opinions and answer survey questions.
2) You will comprehend how surveys are conducted and how to interpret their results.
3) You will understand—and reflect on—debates about the “competence” of the public and how much public opinion should affect public policy.

Each seminar will center on a critical analysis of the assigned readings for the week. Although I hope that much of our class time will be spent in group discussion, I will typically open with a commentary on the week's readings. At the end of each seminar I will introduce the next week’s readings – describing them briefly and suggesting issues for you to think about.