A political analyst examines statistical data from election results, polls, and public opinion in order to forecast future political events and trends. Many people working in this field are employed political parties or organizations, while others work for academic institutions or media companies. Some analysts are partisan and focus on interpreting events rather than trying to influence the electorate, while others are nonpartisan and focus on interpreting events rather than trying to influence the electorate.
The majority of people working in this field have completed college and, in addition to taking undergraduate courses, many of them have also completed masters or even doctoral programs in political science, international relations, sociology, or related fields. Students learn about political theorists like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke, as well as the political structures that exist in countries around the world, while studying these subjects. Many of these college courses also include history classes, in which students learn about the effects of past economic and political decisions on various populations around the world.
A political analyst is a person who works for a political party or organization and is responsible for advising politicians during the policy-making process. These individuals can use their knowledge of past events to suggest ideas that might be popular, as well as warn politicians about concepts that have proven ineffective in the past. A political analyst may participate in canvassing activities, which involve polling the electorate, prior to an election. Analysts examine reports that detail voter sentiment and advise candidates on how to capitalize on public sentiment. Electoral candidates frequently change their stated policies in response to reports prepared analysts.
Aside from formal political organizations, many analysts work for so-called think tanks, which are made up of individuals who share a common set of goals or beliefs. These organizations typically try to persuade political leaders to change laws governing tax rates, prison sentences, civil rights, and other issues. Working with one of these groups requires a political analyst to produce reports that detail the advantages of implementing the group’s recommendations. Such reports may be based on surveys and other types of statistical data that appear to suggest that political change will benefit a region or nation in some way.
While many analysts are partisan, others work as commentators, offering their perspectives on elections and other events. These people may appear on news shows as panelists or write columns for newspapers or journals. During classes and lectures, some university professors play a similarly neutral role. These professors can conduct research without pressuring their students to take a particular political stance.