Another source for global public opinion
Chip Hauss referred me to the web site for the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA). He does some research that shows up there and that connects to his academic activities and his work with Search for Common Ground USA.The Program on International Policy Attitudes describes itself as "a joint program of the Center on Policy Attitudes and the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland, School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland." It's a great source for data on public opinion from all over the world.
For example, I found an article from February 2006 titled, Global Poll Finds Iran Viewed Negatively. It's a report on a BBC World Service poll (with details about the questionnaire and methodology) "exploring how people in 33 countries view various countries found not a single country where a majority has a positive view of Iran’s role in the world (with the exception of Iranians themselves)."
But views of Iran are only part of the results. There are graphic presentations of views of the USA, China, Russia, France, Japan, Europe, the UK, and India as well as Iran here.
It's fair to ask what effects public opinion in other countries can have on politics and policy making in a country, and we might conclude that they depend upon specific circumstances. But we could ask students to identify factors that affect the influence of others' perceptions.
The survey did not ask about the influence of Mexico and Nigeria, but people in those countries were included in the survey. (e.g. 75% of Nigerians thought Britain's influence in the world was mainly positive; 68% thought China's influence was mainly positive; 55% thought that way about Russia's influence; but only 30% had a favorable impression of Iran's influence)
It seems to me that we need to add this source to the arsenal of resources we keep in mind as we teach comparative politics.
Here are some other examples I found on the related World Public Opinion web site that might be useful within the context of your course:
- A poll of opinion in the US and Russia about each other's policies, Russians Positive on China’s Foreign Policy, Economic Model, Negative on US Policies, Bush
"But Russians Give American Democracy High Marks;Americans Like Their System, Not Their President; Russians Like Their President, But Not Their System" - Russians and Americans Agree Iran is Trying to Develop Nuclear Weapons, But Disagree on Economic Sanctions
- Nation Poll Finds Strong Global Consensus: Support for Free Market System, But also More Regulation of Large Companies
- Poll of 18 African Countries Finds All Support Democracy
posted by Ken Wedding @ 8:47 AM
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