The book contains results from opinion polls around the world, in total more than 50 countries. As the world becomes more integrated, political and social challenges have become increasingly global, pointing to a greater need for understanding between nations and for finding global trends. Understanding public opinion is integral to modern democracies around the world. It shapes public policies; it helps politicians to connect with their audiences; it reveals underlying issues that are of utmost importance for decision-makers. The initiative for this book has come from TNS Political and Social, a world leader in providing political and social information. TNS provides insights into public opinion, covers elections and analyzes other political, social and economic issues, in more than 70 co- tries. Each year TNS conducts millions of interviews for clients to understand how the public is thinking or reacting to major issues on a national or international scale. This unique position on the inter- tional market has enabled us to conceive and produce this book. I hope this book will find a big audience. Public opinion polling is a powerful tool in the world of today and we need a thorough disc- sion of its role and its potential in politics and society at large. The following chapters explore and develop this idea.

Provides a global and up to date perspective on public opinion polling

International Polls.- The Effects of Globalisation on the Perception of Democracy.- Transatlantic Trends: Convergences and Divergences.- A Europe of Values: From Shared History to Common Objectives.- Latin America's Mixed Views About Globalization, Investments and the United States.- How Do the Western Balkans See Their Future?.- Public Opinion Polling in National Elections.- Exit Polls - A Lot More than Just a Tool for Election Forecasts.- Methodological Issues in Pre-Election Polling: Lessons from ABC News' 32-Night Tracking Poll.- The Presidential Elections in France 2007 - The Role of Opinion Polls.- Voters Lack Commitment: Canada.- The Public Sector in Transition.- Developing Employment Policy in Europe.- The School Sport Partnership Programme - Raising Levels of Participation in Physical Education and Sport in Schools in England.- Client Satisfaction with Public Services: A Norwegian Case.- Asia on the Move.- The Role of Social Research in Development Programs: Examples from India.- A Framework for Social Development Assessment.- Polling in Developing Democracies - The Case of the Philippines.- M?ori Television Services - Raising Knowledge of M?ori Language and Culture in New Zealand.