POLS 304: American Public Opinion
Fall Semester 2008
Tuesday,
Dr. April Clark
Office: Zulauf 416
Office Hours: Monday
Office phone: (815) 753-7058
E-Mail: aclarkl@niu.edu
Description:
This course
examines the origins, content, and impact of American public opinion. We will
address four broad questions: How do American citizens think about politics
generally? What is public opinion on important matters of American political
life? What are the sources of these opinions and the political dispositions
underlying them? What are the consequences of these opinions for American
politics? In addressing these questions, specific topics of interest include
the role of the family and society in political learning, the myth a polarized
Students use
critical thinking methods when examining and evaluating research findings and
authors’ opinions, and when developing analytical essays and research papers.
Through these activities students are encouraged to think about public opinion
and political socialization in a critical and analytical way.
Class Schedule:
Class meets Tuesday evenings, from
Course Texts:
Erikson, R.S., & Tedin, K. L. (2007). American public opinion: Its origins, content, and impact. Updated
7th edition. Pearson/Longman:
Fiorina, M.P. (2006). Culture
war? The myth of a polarized
Sources indicated with an asterisk (*) are available
through electronic reserve, with links to JSTOR available through NIU’s Library
‘Search our ejournals’ search engine.
All articles can then be read online or printed out. To find these readings click on the library
webpage’s located at http://www.ulib.niu.edu:3515/information/alphadb.cfm
and scroll down to “JSTOR” and search for the title of the article in the
window. The titles of the articles are given in the reading schedule below.
Supplemental Material:
A few other required readings
may be distributed in class as we move along.
Course Requirements:
Students will be evaluated
based on four components:
Basic Policies
Missed exams. If a medical need or emergency situation results in
your missing assignments, please communicate with me. I am willing to be
accommodating but communication and documentation is necessary.
Late papers. : I do
not accept late papers. Papers must
be turned in on time by the beginning of class November 11th. If you fail to do so at the beginning of
class on the day that the paper is due, you will receive a 0 for the
paper.
Handouts: Handouts are a privilege for those students who
attend class on a regular basis. No student is entitled to supplemental
materials simply because they are registered for the course.
Classroom Etiquette: Attendance
at all class sessions is expected, and the instructor will check the attendance
regularly. Students are allowed to
miss a total of six hours or two class meetings during the semester. An additional absence may result in being
dropped from the course. Active and
informed participation in class discussion will significantly help students in
borderline grade situations. Students are
expected to arrive at class on time. Two tardy arrivals are equivalent to one
class absence. Students are to remain
for the entire session unless excused by the professor beforehand or confronted
with a serious personal emergency. For instance, it is not acceptable for
students to walk in and out of class to answer cell phones, take casual
bathroom and smoking breaks, or attend to other personal matters. Please
silence your cell phone prior to the start of each lecture. It is not acceptable to use an iPod, read a
newspaper, use a laptop for anything other than taking class notes, or engage
in other behavior that distracts one from the class proceedings once the
session has begun. No one should talk while someone else is talking; this
includes comments meant for a classmate rather than the entire group. Overall,
classroom dialogue and behavior should always be courteous, respectful of
others, and consistent with the expectations set forth by the university.
Incomplete Requests: Such petitions will be granted only in
extraordinary circumstances. The instructor reserves the right to ask for
documentation to verify the problem preventing completion of the course by the
normal deadlines. If the student does not present documentation from a
university office or official, the matter will be left to the instructor’s
discretion.
Honor
Code: Any written work for this class
will be checked electronically through on-line databases to assess the
originality of the work.
Regarding plagiarism, the NIU Undergraduate Catalog
states: “students are guilty of plagiarism, intentional or not, if they copy
material from books, magazines, or other sources without identifying and
acknowledging them. Students guilty of, or assisting others in, either cheating
or plagiarism on an assignment, quiz, or examination may receive a grade of F
for the course involved and may be suspended or dismissed from the university.”
The above statement encompasses the purchase or use of papers that were written
by others. Please note that the
instructor retains copies of papers written in previous years. In short,
students are advised to do their own work and learn the rules for proper
quoting, paraphrasing, and footnoting.
Students with Disabilities: Under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to making reasonable
accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Those students with
disabilities that may have some impact on their coursework for which they may
require accommodations should notify the University's Center for Access-Ability
Resources (CAAR). CAAR will assist students in making appropriate
accommodations with course instructors. It is important that CAAR and
instructors be informed of any disability-related needs during the first two
weeks of the semester.
Exams and grading. Regrades on assignments are possible if you believe
there was an error in grading. In order to have a reconsideration of your
grade, you must provide a 1-page
typewritten memo explaining where you feel the mistake in grading occurred,
and I will take a look at it.
Course Grades will be
distributed as follows:
Final Average Final
Grade
90-100 % A
80-89 % B
70-79% C
60-69% D
Below 60% F
Course Calendar
The following calendar lists the order of the topics
and the date that we will cover them. Courses sometimes do not go as planned
and you should be ready to diverge from this syllabus. Any significant changes
will be clearly announced in class. You are responsible to stay up to date on
course happenings. You should read the texts before coming to class, and try to
get an early start on the term paper.
CLASS SCHEDULE: FALL 2008
Students will submit
assignments in hard copy only
Week 1 August 26:
Readings / Discussions / Activities: Introduction, Expectations, Plan for the quarter
Discuss syllabus
and class schedule
Public
opinion in democratic societies
Erikson and Tedin: Chapter 1
Culture
war?
Fiorina: Chapter 1
Week 2 September 2:
Polling: The
scientific assessment of public opinion
Erikson and Tedin: Chapter 2
If
Fiorina: Chapter 2
Week 3 September 9:
Assignments Due:
Paper topic, research outline, and tentative reference list for
term paper due at the beginning of class Tuesday,
September9th
Microlevel
opinion: The psychology of opinion-holding
Erikson and Tedin: Chapter 3
A 50:50
nation? Red and blue state people are not that different and beyond red and
blue states
Fiorina: Chapter 3 and 4
What’s your
news IQ? Take a quiz and find out: http://pewresearch.org/newsiq/
Week 4 September 16:
Macrolevel opinion: The flow of political sentiment
Erikson
and Tedin: Chapter 4
Reconciling
micro and macro
Fiorina:
Chapter 9
Important cleavages on values and basic
attitudes exist within the American public – see where
you fit: http://typology.people-press.org/
Week 5 September 23:
Political
socialization and political learning
Erikson
and Tedin: Chapter 5
Week 6 September 30:
Agents
of political socialization
Family:
*Alford, John R., Carolyn L. Funk, and John R. Hibbing. “Are Political
Orientations Genetically Transmitted? APSR, 99 (May, 2005), 153-67.
*
School:
*Andonlina, Molly, Krista Jenkins,
Cliff Zukin, and
Home,
Lessons from School: Influences on Youth Civic Engagement,” PS, 36
(April, 2003), 275-80.
Events:
*Sears, David O., and Nicholas A. Valentino. "Politics Matters: Political Events
as Catalysts for Preadult
Socialization." APSR, 91
(March, 1997), 45-65.
Gimpel, James G., J. Celeste Lay, and Jason E. Schuknecht (2003).
“The Terrorist Attacks as Politically Socializing Events” (handout)
Week 7 October 7:
Agents
of political socialization (continued)
Generation:
*
POQ, 60 (Summer, 1996), 228-52.
Age/lifecycle:
*
and
Generations,” Acta Politica 39
(2004), 342-79.
Week 8 October 14:
**********MIDTERM EXAM –
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14th**********
Group differences in political
opinions
Erikson and Tedin: Chapter 7
A
closer look at abortion and homosexuality
Fiorina:
Chapters 5 and 6
Week 9 October 21:
Group differences in political
opinions (continued)
Gender
differences:
Racial
and ethnic differences:
Calhoun-Brown,
Allison (2002). “This Side of
Uhlaner, Carole Jean, and F. Chris Garcia (2002). “Latino Public
Opinion” (handout)
Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly
Mainstream (2007). (http://pewresearch.org/pubs/483/muslim-americans)
Age
differences:
A Portrait of "Generation Next": How Young People View Their Lives, Futures and
Politics (2007). (http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=300)
Week 10 October 28:
Public opinion and democratic stability
Erikson and Tedin: Chapter 6
Week 11 November 4:
The
news media and political opinions
Erikson and Tedin: Chapter 8
Week 12 November 11:
Assignments Due:
Term
paper due at the beginning of
class – late papers are not accepted
Elections
as instruments of popular control
Erikson
and Tedin: Chapter 9
Have
electoral cleavages shifted?
Fiorina:
Chapter 7
Week 13 November 18:
The
public and its elected leaders
Erikson
and Tedin: Chapter 10
The
2004 election and beyond
Fiorina:
Chapter 8
Week 14 November 25:
Public opinion and the performance of democracy
Erikson
and Tedin: Chapter 11
How
did it come to this and where do we go from here?
Fiorina:
Chapter 10
Week 15 December 2:
Wrap up and review
**********FINAL EXAM – TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 9TH: