Political Research Seminar (395-0-20)

Topic

Political Persuasion

Instructors

Alexander Coppock

Meeting Info

Scott Hall 212: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

Political persuasion occurs when messages change minds about policies or politicians. In this course, we will examine what political science has revealed—through repeated experimentation—about the nature of persuasion in politics. The course assumes no prior knowledge of experimental design or the psychology of attitude change, though students should be prepared to learn about both topics quickly. Coursework will include moderate required reading (typically two research papers or one short book per week), regular exercises related to the readings, and two larger projects.

Learning Objectives

The experimental designs used to study persuasion and the core findings of that experimental program. Students will also be expected to know about many claims regarding persuasion that have no empirical basis.

Teaching Method

This course is a mix of lecture and seminar discussion

Class Materials (Required)

Coppock, Alexander. Persuasion in Parallel: How Information Changes Minds about Politics. University of Chicago Press, 2023. ISBN 978-0-226-82184-9.

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression