Polls And Politics: The Dilemmas Of Democracy Project Muse Upcc Books

A provocative examination of the use and abuse of public opinion polls. This hard-hitting and engaging examination of polls and American politics asks an essential question: do polls contribute to the vitality of our democracy or are they undermining the health of our political system? Leading scholars address several key issues such as how various types of polls affect democracy, the meaning attributed to polling data by citizens and the media, the use of polls by presidents, and how political elites respond-or do not respond-to public polls. The contributors assert that while polls tread a fine line between informing and manipulating the public, they remain valuable so long as a robust democracy obliges its political leaders to respond to the expressed will of the people.

Author Biography: Michael A. Genovese is Loyola Chair of Leadership Studies and Professor of Political Science at Loyola Marymount University. He is the author of many books, including The Power of the American Presidency: 1789-2000 and The Presidential Dilemma: Leadership in the American System. Matthew J. Streb is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Loyola Marymount University and the author of The New Electoral Politics of Race.

Polls and Politics......Page 2 Contents......Page 8 Tables and Figures......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 1. Polling and the Dilemmas of Democracy by Matthew J. Streb and Michael A. Genovese......Page 14 2. Presidents, Polls, and the Paradox of Democratic Governance by Michael A. Genovese......Page 28 3. Presidential Leadership and the Threat to Popular Sovereignty by Lawrence R. Jacobs and Melinda S. Jackson......Page 42 4. Continuing to Campaign: Public Opinion and the White House by Diane J. Heith......Page 68 5. Do Polls Give the Public a Voice in a Democracy? by Michael W. Traugott......Page 90 6. When Push Comes to Shove: Push Polling and the Manipulation of Public Opinion by Matthew J. Streb and Susan H. Pinkus......Page 108 7. Are Exit Polls Bad for Democracy? by Gerald C. Wright......Page 130 8. Deliberative Polling, Public Opinion, and Democratic Theory by James S. Fishkin......Page 158 9. Polling in a Robust Democracy by Michael A. Genovese and Matthew J. Streb......Page 170 References......Page 178 Contributors......Page 194 C......Page 198 F......Page 199 L......Page 200 N......Page 201 P......Page 202 V......Page 204 Z......Page 205 This hard-hitting and engaging examination of polls and American politics asks an essential question: do polls contribute to the vitality of our democracy or are they undermining the health of our political system? leading scholars address several key issues such as how various types of polls affect democracy, the meaning attributed to polling data by citizens and the media, the use of polls by presidents, and ow political elites respond--or do not respond--to public polls. the contributors assert that while polls treat z fine line between informing and manipulating the public, they remain valuable so long as a robust democracy obliges its political leaders to respond to the expressed will of the people Michael A. Genovese is Loyola Chair of Leadership Studies and Professor of Political Science at Loyola Marymount University. He is the author of many books, including The Power of the American 1789-2000 and The Presidential Leadership in the American System . Matthew J. Streb is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Loyola Marymount University and the author of The New Electoral Politics of Race . Edited By Michael A. Genovese And Matthew J. Streb. Based On A Conference Held At Loyola Marymount University In February 2002. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 165-179) And Index.