GRADUATE SCHOOL
Political Science and International Relations (Without thesis)
PSIR 554 | Course Introduction and Application Information
| Course Name |
Public Opinion
|
|
Code
|
Semester
|
Theory
(hour/week) |
Application/Lab
(hour/week) |
Local Credits
|
ECTS
|
|
PSIR 554
|
Fall/Spring
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
7.5
|
| Prerequisites |
None
|
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| Course Language |
English
|
|||||
| Course Type |
Elective
|
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| Course Level |
Second Cycle
|
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| Mode of Delivery | - | |||||
| Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course | - | |||||
| Course Coordinator | - | |||||
| Course Lecturer(s) | ||||||
| Assistant(s) | - | |||||
| Course Objectives | The aim of this course is to examines the nature of public opinion across countries. The class will focus on the conceptualization, measurement and formation of public attitudes. Students will discuss the strucutre and dynamics of voting behavior, party preferences and public support for various issues including wars, foreign policy and the EU. |
| Learning Outcomes |
The students who succeeded in this course;
|
| Course Description | Students discuss the structure and dynamics of public opinion around the world. |
|
|
Core Courses | |
| Major Area Courses | ||
| Supportive Courses | ||
| Media and Management Skills Courses | ||
| Transferable Skill Courses |
WEEKLY SUBJECTS AND RELATED PREPARATION STUDIES
| Week | Subjects | Related Preparation |
| 1 | Introduction | |
| 2 | Does Public Opinion Matter? | Gilens, M. 2005. “Inequality and Democratic Responsiveness.” Public Opinion Quarterly 69(5): 778-96. Jacobs, L. R., and Shapiro, R. 2000. |
| 3 | Measuring Public Opinion with Surveys | Straits ve Singleton, Jr. (2011) Social research: approaches and fundamentals, chp.8 Smith, Tom W. and Frederick D. Weil (1990) Finding public opinion data: A guide to sources. Public Opinion Quarterly 54(4): 609-626. |
| 4 | Economic Self-Interest | Citrin, J., and Green, D.. 1990. “The Self-Interest Motive in American Public Opinion.” Research in Micropolitics 3: 1-28. |
| 5 | Group Identities | Conover, PJ. 1984. “The Inuence of Group Identi_cations on Political Perception and Evaluation.” Journal of Politics, 46(3):760-785, 1984. Kramer, R.M. and Brewer, M.B. 1984. “Effects of Group Identity on Resource Use in a Simulated Commons Dilemma.” J Pers Soc Psychol, 46(5):1044-57, 1984. Brady, H.E. and Sniderman, P.M. 1985. “Attitude Attribution: A Group Basis for Political Reasoning.” American Political Science Review, 79(4):1061-78. |
| 6 | The Media | Iyengar, S., Peters, M.D. and Kinder, D.R. 1982. “Experimental Demonstrations of the \Not-So-Minimal" Consequences of Television News Programs.” American Political Science Review, 76(4):848-858. Bartels, L.M. 1993. Messages Received: The Political Impact of Media Exposure.” American Political Science Review, 87(2):267-285. Nelson, T.E., Clawson, R. A., and Oxley, Z.M. 1997. “Media Framing of a Civil Liberties Conict and Its Effect on Tolerance.” American Political Science Review, 91:567-584. |
| 7 | Public Opinion and Foreign Affairs | Peffley, M., and Hurwitz, J. 1992. “International Events and Foreign Policy Beliefs: Public Responses to Changing Soviet-U.S. Relations.” American Journal of Political Science 36 (2): 431-461. |
| 8 | Midterm | |
| 9 | Partisanship, Voter Turnout and Vote choice | Kalaycıoğlu, E. 1999."The Shaping of Party Preferences in Turkey: Coping with the Post-Cold War Era" New Perspectives on Turkey, 20: 47-76. Çarkoğlu, A. 2008. "Ideology or Economic Pragmatism?: Profiling Turkish Voters in 2007," Turkish Studies, 9(2): 317 -344. |
| 10 | Turkish public attitudes toward the EU | Kentmen, Ç. 2008. “Determinants of Support for EU Membership in Turkey: Islamic Attachments, Utilitarian Considerations and National Identity.” European Union Politics 9(4): 487 - 510. de Vreese, C. H., Boomgaarden, H. G. And Semetko, H. A. 2008. “Hard and Soft: Public Support for Turkish Membership in the EU.” European Union Politics, 9(4): 511-530. |
| 11 | European attitudes toward Turkey’s EU Membership | de Vreese, C. H. and Boomgaarden, H. G. 2006. Media Effects on Public Opinion about the Enlargement of the European Union. Journal of Common Market Studies. 44(2): 409-436. |
| 12 | Public Opinion and Democratic Values | Norris, P. (1999) ‘Introduction: The growth of critical citizens?’ In: P. Norris (ed) Critical Citizens: Global Support for Democratic Governance. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 1-28. |
| 13 | Public opinion and war | Hurwitz, J., Peffley, M. and Seligson, M. 1993. “Foreign Policy Belief Systems in Comparative Perspective: The United States and Costa Rica.” International Studies Quarterly 37 (3): 245-270. |
| 14 | Review for the final | |
| 15 | Final examination | |
| 16 | Review of the Semester |
| Course Notes/Textbooks | All course readings are available at the University Library and as open sources. |
| Suggested Readings/Materials | Gilens, M. 2005. “Inequality and Democratic Responsiveness.” Public Opinion Quarterly 69(5): 778-96. Jacobs, L. R., and Shapiro, R. 2000. Politicians Don’t Pander: Political Manipulation and the Loss of Democratic Responsiveness. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Chapter 8. Asher, H. 2001. Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know. Washington DC: Congressional Quarterly Press. Chapters 3 and 8. Citrin, J., and Green, D.. 1990. “The Self-Interest Motive in American Public Opinion.” Research in Micropolitics 3: 1-28. Conover, PJ. 1984. “The Inuence of Group Identi_cations on Political Perception and Evaluation.” Journal of Politics, 46(3):760-785, 1984. Kramer, R.M. and Brewer, M.B. 1984. “Effects of Group Identity on Resource Use in a Simulated Commons Dilemma.” J Pers Soc Psychol, 46(5):1044-57, 1984. Brady, H.E. and Sniderman, P.M. 1985. “Attitude Attribution: A Group Basis for Political Reasoning.” American Political Science Review, 79(4):1061-78. Iyengar, S., Peters, M.D. and Kinder, D.R. 1982. “Experimental Demonstrations of the Not-So-Minimal" Consequences of Television News Programs.” American Political Science Review, 76(4):848-858. Bartels, L.M. 1993. Messages Received: The Political Impact of Media Exposure.” American Political Science Review, 87(2):267-285. Nelson, T.E., Clawson, R. A., and Oxley, Z.M. 1997. “Media Framing of a Civil Liberties Conict and Its Effect on Tolerance.” American Political Science Review, 91:567-584. Esmer, Y. 1995. "Parties and the Electorate: A Comparative Analysis of Voter Profiles of Turkish Political Parties," in Çiğdem Balim et. al. (eds.) Turkey: Political, Social and Economic Challenges in the 1990s. Leiden, New York, Köln: E. J. Brill. 5. Kalaycıoğlu, E. 1999."The Shaping of Party Preferences in Turkey: Coping with the Post-Cold War Era" New Perspectives on Turkey, 20: 47-76. Çarkoğlu, A. 2008. "Ideology or Economic Pragmatism?: Profiling Turkish Voters in 2007," Turkish Studies, 9(2): 317 -344. Peffley, M., and Hurwitz, J. 1992. “International Events and Foreign Policy Beliefs: Public Responses to Changing Soviet-U.S. Relations.” American Journal of Political Science 36 (2): 431-461. de Vreese, C. H. and Boomgaarden, H. G. 2006. Media Effects on Public Opinion about the Enlargement of the European Union. Journal of Common Market Studies. 44(2): 409-436. Norris, P. (1999) ‘Introduction: The growth of critical citizens?’ In: P. Norris (ed) Critical Citizens: Global Support for Democratic Governance. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 1-28. Hurwitz, J., Peffley, M. and Seligson, M. 1993. “Foreign Policy Belief Systems in Comparative Perspective: The United States and Costa Rica.” International Studies Quarterly 37 (3): 245-270. |
EVALUATION SYSTEM
| Semester Activities | Number | Weigthing |
| Participation |
1
|
20
|
| Laboratory / Application | ||
| Field Work | ||
| Quizzes / Studio Critiques | ||
| Portfolio | ||
| Homework / Assignments |
1
|
20
|
| Presentation / Jury | ||
| Project | ||
| Seminar / Workshop | ||
| Oral Exams | ||
| Midterm |
1
|
20
|
| Final Exam |
1
|
40
|
| Total |
| Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade | ||
| Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade | ||
| Total |
ECTS / WORKLOAD TABLE
| Semester Activities | Number | Duration (Hours) | Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theoretical Course Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours) |
16
|
3
|
48
|
| Laboratory / Application Hours (Including exam week: '.16.' x total hours) |
16
|
0
|
|
| Study Hours Out of Class |
13
|
7
|
91
|
| Field Work |
0
|
||
| Quizzes / Studio Critiques |
0
|
||
| Portfolio |
0
|
||
| Homework / Assignments |
1
|
20
|
20
|
| Presentation / Jury |
0
|
||
| Project |
0
|
||
| Seminar / Workshop |
0
|
||
| Oral Exam |
0
|
||
| Midterms |
1
|
30
|
30
|
| Final Exam |
1
|
36
|
36
|
| Total |
225
|
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS RELATIONSHIP
|
#
|
Program Competencies/Outcomes |
* Contribution Level
|
||||
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
||
| 1 | To improve theoretical and conceptual proficiencies on Political Science and International Relations and to ultimately deepen and develop intellectual interest | |||||
| 2 | To evaluate the relationships between factors in the field of Political Science and International Relations such as structures, actors, institutions and culture in a critical perspective | |||||
| 3 | To provide advanced competences to determine and question the theoretical and emprical gaps in Political Science and International Relations literature | |||||
| 4 | To identify the political and cultual conditions that generate discrimination mechanisms based on race, ethnic groups, gender and religion at national and international levels | |||||
| 5 | To provide competences to develop original arguments in order to fill the gaps in Political Science and International Relations literature | |||||
| 6 | To determine, collect, resolve, and interpret the data that would measure the theories and concepts as variables by using scientific research methods in Political Science and International Relations field | |||||
| 7 | To use confidently the terms and concepts of Political Science and International Relations | |||||
| 8 | To communicate systematically, in written, oral, and visual forms, contemporary developments in Political Science and International Relations to groups inside and outside the said discipline | |||||
| 9 | To take responsibility in an individual capacity and as part of a team in generating solutions to unexpected problems that arise in relation to politics in daily life | |||||
| 10 | To develop projects determining the institutional and political instruments for management of domestic and international conflicts | |||||
| 11 | To prepare an orginal thesis/term project about Political Science and International Relations in accordance with scentific criteria | |||||
| 12 | To design and carry out a scientific research project in the field of Political Science and International Relations | |||||
| 13 | To have ethical, social and scientific values in the stages throughout the processes of collecting, interpreting, disseminating and implementing data relevant to Political Science and International Relations | |||||
*1 Lowest, 2 Low, 3 Average, 4 High, 5 Highest