Abstract This essay examines an early alternative to polling, Mass-Observation (M-O), that dramatically reported on the nuances, contradictions, and passions of public opinion during some of the most extraordinary times in British history. Between the Abdication Crisis of 1937 and the start of World War II, M-O’s combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, along with its emphasis on the cultural context of public opinion, produced a richer, more textured, and more deliberative rhetoric of public opinion than the Gallup poll’s survey techniques. In the process, M-O foreshadowed many of today’s scholarly trends, including the reflexive turn in social research, increased skepticism about the knowledge claims of science, and the emergence of more public scholarship.

Other| June 01 2015 Rhetorical Studies and the Gun Debate: A Public Policy Perspective J. Michael Hogan; J. Michael Hogan J. Michael Hogan is Liberal Arts Research Professor and Director of the Center for Democratic Deliberation at Penn State University. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Craig Rood Craig Rood Craig Rood is a Ph.D. student in Communication Arts and Sciences at Penn State. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Rhetoric and Public Affairs (2015) 18 (2): 359–372. https://doi.org/10.14321/rhetpublaffa.18.2.0359 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation J. Michael Hogan, Craig Rood; Rhetorical Studies and the Gun Debate: A Public Policy Perspective. Rhetoric and Public Affairs 1 June 2015; 18 (2): 359–372. doi: https://doi.org/10.14321/rhetpublaffa.18.2.0359 Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectiveMichigan State University PressRhetoric and Public Affairs Search Advanced Search The text of this article is only available as a PDF. © 2015 Michigan State University Board of Trustees. All rights reserved.2015 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal Issue Section: Forum: Responses to Collins on the Second Amendment You do not currently have access to this content.