TOPICS #30-33 — PUBLIC OPINION AND PARTICIPATION

Q1.     What normative prescriptions does democratic theory make about citizens’ level of information about, understanding of, and participation in politics and public affairs?

Q2.     As an empirical matter, how well do you think typical citizens actually meet these normative prescriptions?

Q3.     On what sorts of political issues do you think Americans mostly agree? On what sorts of issues do think may there be quite profound and intense disagreement among Americans?

Q5.     Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or what? If partisan, would you call yourself a strong Republican/-Democrat or a not very strong Republican/Democrat? If Independent, do you think of yourself as closer to the Democratic Party or the Republican Party?

Q6.     We hear a lot of talk these days about liberals and conservatives. Where would you place yourself in these terms, or haven’t you thought much about this?

survey research (polling)

          random sampling (and response rate)

          interview questionnaire

normative image of informed citizens vs. empirical findings of political ignorance

          specialized and asymmetric political information

consensus vs. dissensus

          constitutional consensus (how the government should be constituted)

          policy dissensus (what policies the government should chose and implement)

social affiliations and conflicts

          economic: vertical (class, income, SES) vs. horizontal (sector, industry)

          regional, racial, ethnic, religious, etc.

reinforcing vs. crosscutting affiliations and opinion conflicts

elite vs. mass opinion

          party identification

          political ideology

                     self-placement (party ID — ideological ID anomaly)

                     consistency/reinforcement

economic vs. social/cultural issues

          (pure) liberals / libertarians / populists / (pure) conservatives

participation and opinions intensity

          permissive public opinion

          governing public opinion

          polarized public opinion

          intense minority — special interest/pork barrel/distributive politics

          majoritarian politics

          factional (or interest group) politics