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New Research
Misperceptions,
the Media, and the Iraq War
A new study
based on a series of seven nationwide polls this year reveals
that a majority of Americans have had significant misperceptions
and these are highly related to support for the war with Iraq.
The polling, conducted by the Program
on International Policy (PIPA) at the University
of Maryland and Knowledge
Networks, also reveals that the frequency of these misperceptions
varies significantly according to individuals’ primary
source of news.
The study focuses mainly on three misperceptions regarding
the invasion of Iraq:
- that evidence of links between Iraq and al Qaeda have been
found
- that weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq
- that world public opinion favored the US going to war with
Iraq
Clay Ramsay, research director at the Program
on International Policy (PIPA) at the University
of Maryland. The polling for the study was conducted by
PIPA and
Knowledge
Networks.
Parliamentary
Representation in the Internet Age
The research looks into parliamentarians' use of internet
based technologies in the UK and Australia. In particular,
we are examining the role of new technologies in shaping the
work of MPs and the nature of parliamentary representation.
The project is wide ranging, as we are looking at a number
of complementary issues, and does involve a range of research
activities and methodologies:
. Regular analyses of parliamentary/MPs websites to assess
the function of such sites (over the next two years);
. Postal surveys of parliamentarians to gauge the attitude
toward, and importance of, Internet communication and online
participation;
. Interviews with MPs to understand Internet communication
strategies, and their associated benefits and problems;
. Public opinion survey to evaluate citizen awareness, usage
and problems of Internet communication with representatives;
. Focus group assessment of the design and content of parliamentary
websites.
And much, much more.
We are right now doing interviews with UK MPs, and the first
responses are encouraging.
You can find more information at http://www.ipop.org.uk
Submitted by Wainer
Lusoli
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