Transparent explanations, yes. Public transcripts and fieldnotes, no: Ethnographic research on public opinion

I am a scholar of public opinion. My main interest is in examin-ing how people understand, or interpret, politics. For that rea-son, much of my work involves listening to people talk with others with whom they normally spend time. When I listen to the way they sort out issues together, I am able to observe what they perceive to be important, the narratives they use to understand their world, the identities that are central to these understandings, and other important ingredients of public opinion.