GOVT 81.08 Global Public Opinion

There has been a rise in attention to the role of global public opinion in international relations. News media usage of the phrase "world public opinion" or "global public opinion," as well as scholarly research about it, dramatically increased during the last decade. But has global public opinion actually played an important role in international affairs? What are the attitudes of citizens around the world towards some crucial global issues that require international cooperation? Do their attitudes substantially affect states' ability to cooperate to address such issues? In this course, by examining these questions through a variety of assignments (writing a short literature review, making a "news story" video, working on a data visualization project, etc.), students will learn important theories and empirical findings on global public opinion. The topics covered include international institutions and human rights, the environment and climate change, nuclear energy, happiness, trust and social capital, global economy, war and peace, terrorism, anti-Americanism, U.S. foreign policy and soft power, soft power competition in Asia, the rise of China, immigration, and foreign aid.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:INT or SOC

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Government