CROSS-NATIONAL POLLING AND THE

GLOBALIZATION OF POLITICAL CULTURE

Edward FreelandSurvey Research Center

Princeton University

September 6, 2014

Globalization Growth of trade Spread of democracy Long term decline of military and civil

violence Spread of health and affluence and the

decline of poverty Migration, travel, and student exchange Growth of global scientific and professional

networks Global survey and polling infrastructure

Globalization of Public Opinion?

How much does awareness of what’s going on in other countries influence policy debate or public opinion in the U.S.?

Is there evidence of a “global” perspective and does it have any impact on domestic policy debates such as healthcare reform

The future of American exceptionalism

Reasons to Think Views on Health Care Policy Would Become More Globalized Medicine and health sciences have

become hyper-globalized Similarity of health conditions and

hazards in affluent nations Similarity of physician training,

treatment settings and regimens

Source: Anahad O‘Connor New York Times June 1, 2014 "Google Glass Enters the Operating Room."

Source: WTO statistical data sets, April 2012

Source: Freedom House, World Comparative and Historical Data

Source: “Measuring Systemic Peace” Global Conflict Trends

Source: Urbanomics. “Global Poverty Rates are Down” March 19, 2012.

Source: Global Trends: Wealth & Health of Nations

Growth of GDP and Life Expectancy

Source: Chronicle of Higher Education. Nov. 12, 2012 “Growth in Study Abroad Approaches Standstill.”

Source: Institute of International Education. Open Doors 2013 “Fast Facts”

Increase in Global Scientific Collaboration

Source: The Royal Society 2011. Knowledge, Networks and Nations: Global scientific collaboration in the 21st century. London. The Royal Society.

Growth of Cross-National Survey Research

World Values Survey (1990-2014) Gallup World Poll World Bank and IMF Global barometers/ESS/ISS UN and World Health Organization Methodological research

Education for a Global Perspective

Popular theme in U.S. education since 1980s

Robert Hanvey: “An Attainable Global Perspective” (1982)Cross-cultural awarenessKnowledge of global dynamics

Universities – movement to coordinate international programs

Journal of Studies in International Education

Debating Health Insurance Reform in the U.S. Compare last two major attempts to

implement national policy aimed at full coverage

1992-94 – Clinton’s Health Security Act 2008-10 – Obama’s Affordable Care Act In both, U.S. has “last mover” advantage Extensive media coverage of debates in

both periods

Health Insurance Reform: Policy Design and Public Opinion

ACA evolves from remnants of previous US reform efforts that stalled or failed

Policymakers avoid stigma of any association with Europe

Public likes nearly all components of the ACA except the individual mandate

Opinion heavily dependent on partisanship and media consumption

Health Care: Public Perceptions and Global Comparisons

“The Best Healthcare System in the World”

Harvard Survey (2008)45% say U.S. healthcare system is best in

the world55% say U.S. patients receive better quality

of care than those in other nationsHigh percentages of “Don’t Know” responses

when asked about specific countries

Source: Harvard School of Public Health. March 20, 2008. “Most Republicans think the U.S. health care system is the best in the world. Democrats disagree.”

Other Surveys on Perceptions

Pew Survey 2009 Most rate U.S. health care as no better

than average compared to health care other industrialized nations“Above average” (23%)“Average” (32%)“Below Average” (27%)

Source: Pew Research Center. July 24, 2009. “Few See U.S. Health Care as ‘Best in the World.’”

Deloitte Consumer Survey (2011)

12-nation survey Questions on

Satisfaction with system performancePerceptions of wasted spendingComparisons with other countriesUtilization; Health and wellness behaviors

U.S. consumers (including uninsured) less satisfied than consumers in other nations

Source: Deloitte. 2011 Survey of Health Care Consumers Global Report.

US Newspaper Mentions of Foreign Countries in Health Insurance Reform Debates

Canada Britain France Switzerland Germany Australia Europe Socialism 0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

1992-94 (N=5,023)

2008-10 (N=21,065)

NY Times Mentions of Foreign Countries in Health Insurance Reform Debates

Canada Britain France Switzerland Germany Australia Europe Socialism 0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

1992-94 (N=186)

2008-10 (N=243)

U.S. Media Coverage of Foreign News US coverage ranks lower than most

other nations in volume of coverage However, public interest in foreign news

in the U.S. is relatively high Low news coverage correlates with low

international hard news knowledge Declining volume of foreign news

coverage in U.S. media

Source: Aalberg, Toril et al. 2013. "International TV News, Foreign Affairs Interest and Public Knowledge" Journalism Studies 14:3 387-406.

Source: Aalberg, Toril et al. 2013. "International TV News, Foreign Affairs Interest and Public Knowledge" Journalism Studies 14:3 387-406.

Media Coverage of Foreign News

Source: Jones, Timothy M. et al. 2013. "Foreign Nation Visibility in U.S. News Coverage: A Longitudinal Analysis (1950-2006)." Communication Research 40(3):417-436.

U.S. Foreign News Coverage Over Time Jones et al. (2011) study of NY Times

and NBC Nightly News (1950-2006) Coverage related to:

GDPPopulationTrade volumeU.S. troop deployment

Foreign news coverage in long term decline

Source: Jones, Timothy M. 2012. "Foreign Nation Visibility in U.S. Public Discourse: A Longitudinal Analysis, 1945-2008.”

Coverage of Foreign News Declines Over Time

Pew Research Global Attitudes Project Question: “Our people are not perfect but

our culture is superior.” Americans more likely to see their culture

as superior Agreement declines among younger

respondents and those with more education Agreement in U.S. declines from 2002-2011

Opinions On American Exceptionalism

Source: Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Project. 2011."The American-Western European Values Gap"

Source: Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Project. 2011."The American-Western European Values Gap"

Final Questions and Issues

Potential for growing significance of global perspectives on domestic policy issues such as access to affordable health care

Prospects for increasing foreign news coverage in the U.S. media

Political implications of weakening exceptionalism and increasing cosmopolitanism

"I think the older people, when it comes right down to it, when you go to the hospital, with Obamacare you won't get the service like you would if it wasn't in." Jerry Hunnicutt, a retired supervisor at a snack-food plant, with his wife, Carolyn. “If somebody goes in and they need a surgery or something, if you’re older you may be put on the back burner.”

Source: New York Times. September 25, 2013. “In Corner of Arkansas, Frustration but No Panic Over Possible Shutdown.“