Clawson and Oxley link the enduring normative questions of democratic theory to existing empirical research on public opinion. Organized around a series of questions--In a democratic society, what should be the relationship between citizens and their government? Are citizens' opinions pliable? Are they knowledgeable, attentive, and informed?--the text explores the tension between ideals and their practice. Each chapter focuses on exemplary studies, explaining not only the conclusion of the research, but how it was conducted, so students gain a richer understanding of the research process and see methods applied in context.