Courses

Courses on public opinion and political behavior (including the GR8210 seminar taught by Professor Shapiro) ordinarily move briskly through a wide array of topics having to do with how American tend to think and act. This class has a narrower scope but tries to delve more deeply into the literature.  We focus on four topics that are arguably crucial understanding contemporary American politics (and perhaps the politics of other times and places). 

• The first topic addresses what might be thought of as the legacies of slavery: prejudice, resentment, racial/ethnic group identification, issue preferences on topics that are directly or indirectly connected to race/ethnicity, and group differences in political behavior. 
• The second topic considers the literature on partisanship and polarization, as well as related topics on “macropartisan” change and party realignment.  What are the causes of micro- and macropartisan change, and what are its consequences? 
• The third topic is support for democratic norms, civil liberties, and respect for the rights of unpopular groups.  How deeply committed are Americans to democratic values and constitutional rights?  
• The fourth topic is the influence of media on public opinion, a vast topic that includes the effects of advertising, news, social media, narrative entertainment, and so forth. 

Although we will be focusing on just four broad topics, time constraints nevertheless prevent us from covering more than a fraction of each scholarly literature.  Students are encouraged to read beyond the syllabus, and I am happy to offer suggestions.