Description
For upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in public opinion and political behavior, Norrander (political science, U. of Arizona) and Wilcox (government, Georgetown U.) bring together 12 essays that detail public opinion research on a variety of topics and demonstrate the approaches used by social scientists. Political scientists from the US cover influential factors such as gender, ethnicity, and genetics, and attitudes towards the Iraq War, government response to Hurricane Katrina, abortion, the US government and George Bush, defendants in terrorism trials, after 9/11, and within political parties. Ten essays are new to this edition; two have been updated. A statistics primer is included in an appendix. There is no index. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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Click here to preview a sample chapter!In this highly anticipated revision, editors Barbara Norrander and Clyde Wilcox expose students to the substance and process of public opinion research in an accessible way. Capturing the diversity of this research with 12 essays—10 new to this edition and 2 fully updated—well-respected contributors highlight the many approaches social scientists use to explore public opinion while citing actual research and teasing out the political implications of their findings.Understanding Public Opinion expands on important ideas that basic textbooks cover only briefly, such as public views of those on trial for terrorist acts, public attitudes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the rise and fall of public support for George W. Bush. Part introductions provide important thematic context, and a statistics primer in the appendix offers students a handy reference. More relevant and thought-provoking than ever, Understanding Public Opinion is the ideal supplement for any public opinion course.
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