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Instructors: Prof. Dr. Martin Elff
Event type:
Seminar
Org-unit: Politics, Administration & International Relations
Displayed in timetable as:
PolSoz
Hours per week:
3
Credits:
6,0
Location:
Campus der Zeppelin Universität
Language of instruction:
Englisch
Min. | Max. participants:
5 | 35
Priority scheme: Standard-Priorisierung
Course content:
On the eve of election day, the race of the parties is replaced by the race of the prognoses. Even before an official electoral result is announced, the TV public is presented with predictions made by polling agencies about how likely each party is to win, by which groups of voters it is supported, and how many voters have changed their decisions in comparison to the previous election. What follows are the days of exegesis of the popular mandate. Leaders of almost every party put forward their views about it and almost always find their own positions vindicated. Nevertheless one may ask what about what we really know about citizens' opinions and preferences?
Social research in opinions, attitudes and electoral behaviour tries to overcome a merely impressionistic interpretation of electoral behaviour and to find out the actual motives of voting decisions. Who votes, how, and why? Is it that voters try to maximize their own utilities and interests or do they pass moral judgements over the parties? Is voting a tally of the performance of government and opposition or a mandate for future policies? How do citizens form their opinions and attitudes about social or foreign policy and how well informed are these? What are the effects of campaigns on the decision in the voting booth? This course gives an introduction to the various attempts at answering these fascinating questions.
Educational objective:
Aim of the course is to provide an understanding of the fundamental concepts and theories in political science research on electoral and attitudinal research. It thereby enables participants to find their way through the literature on various aspects of this research area, to develop their own research questions and to address them in their academic work.
Further information about the exams:
Course assessment is based on a comination of midterm (short presentation of session literature) und endterm performance (take home exam)
Mandatory literature:
Evans, Jocelyn A.J. 2004. Voters & Voting. London: Sage.
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