Objectives
The aim of this course is to examine how individuals develop and express political attitudes and how these attitudes influence political life. We will consider a wide range of opinion domains, including political ideology and polarization, political knowledge and misinformation, trust in democratic institutions, inequality and redistribution, immigration and multiculturalism, climate change and environmental policy, and views on crime and punishment. In doing so, we will analyze how social, economic, and cultural forces shape political opinions and how these opinions, in turn, inform participation, voting behavior, and policy outcomes. Understanding the formation and consequences of political attitudes will lead us to engage with theories from political science and related fields, as well as to critically evaluate empirical research and real-world cases to better understand patterns of public opinion and their implications for democratic governance.
- Opettaja
Michael Hansen