IS 395 - Public Opinion Research in Europe

Lecture Hours: 3
Lab Hours: 0
Credit Hours: 3

In this class, we will discuss the efforts of social scientists to understand popular opinion through national-level polls. Students will learn the techniques by which samples are taken from populations, and the tradeoffs to approaches. So, too, will they learn about issues surrounding question wording, conceptual reliability, and external validity. The class will culminate in a research project where students will collaborate with the professor to model explanations for support for greater cohesion among the EU countries, particularly older and newer members. Students, themselves, will conduct reviews of the literature before contributing to a test of the various arguments made by previous authors using Eurobarometer public opinion data. Site visits to government entities, such as the European Parliament, will provide context for these analyses.