Academics & Scholarships
The Crossley Center offers graduate courses examining topical domestic and international issues. The courses focus on analyzing the public opinion polls of issues from survey research leaders.
American Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: Crisis, Controversy and Public Policy
A series of crises, political controversies and public policy decisions have been made a part of the Crossley Center's core American Public Opinion and Foreign Policy course. Although many of the issues studied are domestic, they all have foreign policy connections. Each receives considerable media coverage, elite conversation, and references in credible national polls. One of the most useful metrics is presidential job approval, both overall and in foreign policy.
American Public Opinion Case Studies, 2014-2015:
- Cuba
- Gay rights
- Immigration reform
- Iran negotiations
- Keystone Pipeline
- Marijuana legislation
- Presidential approval ratings
- U.S. Senate torture report
International Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: Elections as Case Studies
Elections in foreign countries with published independent polling provide a window into the area's political culture, governmental structure and election process. The intense media coverage identifies the significant participants, and their parties, ideologies, and issues. Since the advent of the Crossley Center's class in foreign policy and public opinion, students have studied the following elections as part of their coursework.
International Election Case Studies, 2014-2015:
- Scottish Independence vote, Sept. 2014
- Brazilian Presidential election, Oct. 2014
- Greek Parliamentary election, Jan. 2015
- Israeli Parliamentary election, March 2015
- British Parliamentary election, May 2015