PSYCHOLOGY
Bachelor	TR-NQF-HE: Level 6	QF-EHEA: First Cycle	EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code	Course Name	Semester	Theoretical	Practical	Credit	ECTS
POL4428	Public Opinion and Foreign Policy	Fall	3	0	3	6

This catalog is for information purposes. Course status is determined by the relevant department at the beginning of semester.

Basic information

Language of instruction:	English
Type of course:	Non-Departmental Elective
Course Level:	Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery:	Hybrid
Course Coordinator :	Assoc. Prof. ESRA ALBAYRAKOĞLU
Course Lecturer(s):	Prof. Dr. EBRU ŞULE CANAN SOKULLU
Recommended Optional Program Components:	None.
Course Objectives:	In democracies, the making of strategic commitments to foreign policy choices requires strong popular backing. The conventional wisdom suggests that maintaining public support is a compulsion in modern democracies because it serves as an indicator of people’s interests and desires that decision-makers inevitably must take into account. According to the central strand of democratic theory, policy preferences of citizens are supposed to form the foundation for government’s decision-making. It aims to provide them with the background knowledge and theoretical and practical skills needed to study and understand public opinion and post-Cold War era foreign policy connexion. Given the theoretical and practical importance of studying public opinion in democratic systems, students learn the logic of inquiry on public opinion and foreign policy, including case-specific analyses. The main focus is on war and public opinion.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
The students who have succeeded in this course;
1) Grasp basic theoretical and conceptual knowledge about public opinion, its nature and impacts.
2) Gain a basic knowledge of “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences” (SPSS) program for social scientific data analysis.
3) Possess knowledge about quantitative analysis.
4) Develop skill and knowledge to prepare a survey and report.
5) Interpret the public opinion reports and surveys.
6) Develop competencies with respect to active inquiry and critical thinking.

Course Content

This course provides the background knowledge and theoretical and practical skills needed to study and understand public opinion and post-Cold War era foreign policy connexion. Students learn the logic of inquiry on public opinion and foreign policy, including case-specific analyses.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week	Subject	Related Preparation
1)	Introduction to and overview of the Course
2)	What is “public opinion”? History of public opinion	• Glynn et al (1999) ‘The meanings of public opinion’ Ch. 1 • Shiraev and Sobel (2007) “What is Public opinion?” pp: 2-6 • Glynn et al (1999) ‘The history of public opinion’ Ch. 2
3)	Methods of public opinion	• Glynn et al (1999) ‘Methods for studying public opinion’ Ch. 3 • Shiraev and Sobel (2007) “Measurement of Opinion” pp: 20 – 43 TO DO: Create thematic working groups: EU-immigration-Transatlantic relations-War (Syria)-Hard security-Soft security-media and information-environment- Russia-energy Students: Assignment 1. • Pick an article relevant to topic and learn about the methodology and content. • Following this, do a search from Pew, TTS, Gallup, Eurobarometer about the theme selected by your group. • Question and answer wording, polling organization information (20 questions each group on the themes assigned) Deadline Week 4 (Times New Roman 12, Student and Group name written).
4)	Public opinion and foreign policy	• Holsti (1996) Ch 1 • Mueller, J. (1996) ‘Fifteen Propositions about American Foreign policy and public opinion in an era free of compelling threats’ National Convention of the International Studies Association, San Diego, California, April 16-20, 1996 • Philip J. Powlick; Andrew Z. Katz (1998) ‘Defining the American Public Opinion/Foreign Policy Nexus’ Mershon International Studies Review, Vol. 42, No. 1. (May, 1998), pp. 29-61. • Hinckley, R. H. (1988) ‘Public Attitudes toward Key Foreign Policy Events’ Journal of Conflict Resolution Vol. 32: 295-318. ECS: Each group will be distributed an article on the topic/theme selected. Particularly “literature review” and “method (“research design”) sections should be studied. Questionnaire Draft – 1
5)	Theories of public opinion and foreign policy (a) Classical traditionalist approaches to public opinion and foreign policy	• Holsti (1996) Ch. 2 • Caspary, W. R. (1970) ‘The Mood Theory: A Study of Public Opinion and Foreign Policy’ American Political Science Review Vol. 64 (2) (June): 536-547 Questionnaire -2 Finalization of questionnaire Pilot study: Week 5
6)	Theories of public opinion and foreign policy (b) Revisionist liberal approaches to public opinion and foreign policy	• Holsti (1996) Ch 3 • Holsti, O. R. (1992) ‘Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: Challenges to the Almond-Lippmann Consensus Mershon Series: Research Programs and Debates’ International Studies Quarterly Vol. 36: 439-466. • Nincic, M. (1992a) ‘A Sensible Public: New Perspectives on Popular Opinion and Foreign Policy’ Journal of Conflict Resolution Vol. 36 (4): 772-789. ECS: Training of the students about technical matters. Students: Discussion Each group will discuss their pilot study in the class
7)	Midterm
8)	Introduction to SPSS	FIELDWORK After finalizing the questionnaire each groups and members will go to the field to run the survey!
9)	SPSS -Public Opinion - Media - Foreign Policy Nexus	• Soroka, S. (2003) ‘Media, Public Opinion, and Foreign Policy, Press and Politics, Vol. 8 (1) (Winter): 27-48. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI3K9hOxYpA Coding • Students: Collection of surveys, data entry under the supervision of the instructor. • Students: Each group should be responsible of data cleaning
10)	Completion of dataset & Analysis of data (descriptive and correlation)	Public Opinion - Political Elite - Foreign Policy Nexus • Shiraev and Sobel (2007) “Government: Does Public opinion Matter?” pp: 12-18
11)	Review of reports and group presentation of analysis	Students: Each student should analyze the dataset (together with other group members). Instructions will be distributed by the lecturer. (these analysis will be used for the final reports which will be prepared by groups and presented in Week 12-13).
12)	Review of reports and group presentation of analysis	Students: Each student should analyze the dataset (together with other group members). Instructions will be distributed by the lecturer. (these analysis will be used for the final reports which will be prepared by groups and presented in Week 12-13).
13)	Review of reports and group presentation of analysis	Students: Each student should analyze the dataset (together with other group members). Instructions will be distributed by the lecturer. (these analysis will be used for the final reports which will be prepared by groups and presented in Week 12-13).
14)	Review

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks:

•Holsti, O. R. (1996) Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy Ann Arbour: University of Michigan Press.
•Everts, P. and P. Isernia (eds) (2001) Public Opinion and International Use of Force London: Routledge.
•Glynn, C. J., S. Herbst, G. J. O’Keefe and R. Y. Shapiro (1999) Public Opinion Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
•Canan-Sokullu, Ebru Transatlantic Public Opinion on War Saarbrücken: Lambert (2014)
•Lacos, B., R.Y. Shapiro and P. Isernia (eds.) (2000) Decision-making in a Glass House: Mass Media, Public Opinion, and American and European Foreign Policy in the 21st Century Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
•Shiraev, E. and R. Sobel (2007) People and Their Opinions: Thinking Critically about Public Opinion N.Y.: Pearson

References:

Articles in Course Package and other online resources related to topics covered.

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements	Number of Activities	Level of Contribution
Presentation	1	% 30
Midterms	1	% 30
Final	1	% 40
Total		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK		% 60
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK		% 40
Total		% 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities	Number of Activities	Workload
Course Hours	13	39
Application	3	15
Study Hours Out of Class	12	91.5
Presentations / Seminar	1	0.5
Midterms	1	2
Final	1	2
Total Workload		150

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect	1 Lowest	2 Low	3 Average	4 High	5 Highest

	Program Outcomes	Level of Contribution
1)	To develop an interest in the human mind and behavior, to be able to evaluate theories using empirical findings, to understand that psychology is an evidence-based science by acquiring critical thinking skills.
2)	To gain a biopsychosocial perspective on human behavior. To understand the biological, psychological, and social variables of behavior.
3)	To learn the basic concepts in psychology and the theoretical and practical approaches used to study them (e.g. basic observation and interview techniques).
4)	To acquire the methods and skills to access and write information using English as the dominant language in the psychological literature, to recognize and apply scientific research and data evaluation techniques (e.g. correlational, experimental, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, case studies).
5)	To be against discrimination and prejudice; to have ethical concerns while working in research and practice areas.
6)	To recognize the main subfields of psychology (experimental, developmental, clinical, cognitive, social and industrial/organizational psychology) and their related fields of study and specialization.
7)	To acquire the skills necessary for analyzing, interpreting and presenting the findings as well as problem posing, hypothesizing and data collection, which are the basic elements of scientific studies.
8)	To gain the basic knowledge and skills necessary for psychological assessment and evaluation.
9)	To acquire basic knowledge of other disciplines (medicine, genetics, biology, economics, sociology, political science, communication, philosophy, anthropology, literature, law, art, etc.) that will contribute to psychology and to use this knowledge in the understanding and interpretation of psychological processes.
10)	To develop sensitivity towards social problems; to take responsibility in activities that benefit the field of psychology and society.
11)	To have problem solving skills and to be able to develop the necessary analytical approaches for this.
12)	To be able to criticize any subject in business and academic life and to be able to express their thoughts.