Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Apply principles of public opinion across countries
Introduction
Comparative public opinion is the research and analysis of public opinion across two or more countries. In addition to the various regional and continental public opinion surveys, known generally as barometers, scholars of public opinion have been organized at the global level since the 1950s. For example, the World Association for Public Opinion Research, WAPOR, has “promoted the highest professional standards, ethics and techniques for polling around the world. Their international membership represents the industry’s most respected names in the survey and public opinion research field. Through publications, seminars, meetings and educational initiatives, WAPOR engages in a rich ongoing conversation about how best to collect data and maintain data quality not just in advanced democracies, but also in emerging democracies.”
Public opinion is the scientific use of survey questions and instruments to gauge the explicit and implicit opinions individuals have about political issues and policy topics. In addition, it can be studied in the comparative context at three levels: conceptual, operational, and measurement. Interpreters of public opinion data can be elected and appointed officials, the media, interest groups and non-profit organizations, community leaders, and individual members of the general public. Information can be haphazardly interpreted, especially by individuals who are not trained in analyzing such data.
How does comparative public opinion differ from U.S. public opinion?
Comparative public opinion differs from U.S. public opinion in three ways.
- U.S. public opinion is interested in what the national sentiment is around particular policy and political issues, or the opinions of individuals within particular regions of the countries or specific states. By only surveying people in the United States, this means it is not comparative.
- Second, U.S. public opinion has a longer history, largely because surveys and polling have been used by the media, pollsters, and political scientists since the 1950s. Most non-American comparative public opinion surveys were developed after 2000.
- U.S. public opinion is only focused on the opinion of people in the United States. Comparative public opinion typically encompasses multiple countries, such as the Afrobarometer which is led by social and political scientists who live and work on the continent. For example, of the 54 countries that make up the African continent, people in 37 countries were recently surveyed in Round 6 of the Afrobarometer.
How can we evaluate research in comparative public opinion?
Evaluating research in comparative public opinion is exciting and challenging. For example, the notion of housing is conceptualized differently by people across these two countries. In some countries, public housing is largely available to individuals. In other countries, the government plays no role or little role in the process of providing housing. So when scientists ask the question: “what role should the government play in providing housing to individuals in need?”, some people don't even associate their government with providing this type of good because it's not a part of the political institutions, culture, and expectations within a country.
Evaluating research also involves grappling with the conceptual, operational, and measurement levels of ideas, things, and people that may not directly translate between countries. Different languages are spoken in different parts of the world. Thus, unless a scientist is fluent in the languages and cultures of other countries, completing a comparison between two countries would be difficult.
