A few weeks later with no replies so I'm going to provide my definition and example for public opinion .
Public opinion is a sentiment shared by a group of people. It can influence the foreign policy of states (this is from the textbook). For example, public opinion may have influenced the foreign policy of Australia when in 2015 the Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop appealed to the Indonesian President to spare the lives of two Australian drug traffickers (clemency). After their execution, diplomatic and ministerial contacts were suspended for a period. Bishop’s actions seem to have been in accord with Australian public opinion.
Hi Notarobot!
I'm afraid I'm not in any way a Glopol expert, but just by looking at the study designs...
- 'public opinion' wasn't mentioned at all in the 2012-2015 SD, so it's not some remnant they forgot to take out
It's definitely deliberately been added to the 2016-2017 version.
- also, funnily enough, the 2018 SD has taken this key term out again
As such, I can't imagine it being too big a deal in this year's exam - it'll probably be more of an optional example to bring up in a question like 'Provide
two reasons why global actors may alter or moderate their behaviours.'
That said, having a definition and example up your sleeve is an excellent idea! It's possible you may need to be more specific than just saying it is a sentiment shared by "a group of people" (e.g. is it a term that applies to the majority of people in a society, or can it just be a small faction? I'd assume the former?) But the example you provide seems valid - maybe just explain that the dominant opinion of the Australian public at the time was that the two men
should be granted clemency, just so your example is as clear as possible!
But I'd highly recommend checking with your teacher to be sure! Hopefully we get some more Glopol kids throughout the year though, and you can all help each other out!