'Price's introduction to public opinion shows that it is possible to add something interesting and distinctive at the same time as introducing neophytes to a new concept.... The issues raised are not new, but they are relevant, and rarely presented in such a concise and accessible way' Irish Communications Review

Public opinion - is it a simple aggregation of individual views, or is it some kind of collective-level, emergent product of debate? What is the role of public opinion in popular government? How do the mass media shape public opinion or link it with governmental decision-making? This book explores such questions by tracing the historical development and application of the concept of public opinion.