The global community is concerned with domestic American politics because of our nation’s status as a world power, a reporter for The Economist told a university reporting class Wednesday.

Mark Doyle, who covers American politics for The Economist, said he left his headquarters in London to learn more about reporting on the U.S. He arrived in Washington, D.C. in July to begin reporting on the congressional elections.

Vice Chancellor for Government Affairs Larry Lauer said the university brought Doyle in as part of the Transatlantic Media Network. The initiative allows journalists from other countries to visit the United States for a period of time to learn more about American politics, Lauer said.

Lauer said the Transatlantic Media Network, established by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, also brings the visiting journalists to schools they have a partnership with, like the university.

Director of the Schieffer School of Journalism John Lumpkin wrote in an e-mail that in the last year, one journalist from Poland, two from Sweden and another from Germany have visited the school. Doyle told the class he has been traveling across the country writing profiles about the congressional candidates running for the mid-term elections.

Although each election differs from the next, American voters seem to be favoring Republicans as a result of feelings of economic instability, he said.

“To see (America) having its confidence knocked, I think, is quite interesting,” Doyle said.

He said he thought the importance of this mid-term election stemmed from the fact that it would be the first since the election of President Barack Obama. For the stories he has been writing, Doyle said he had to follow one particular candidate from district to district in order to get the information he was looking for. Doyle said journalists must chase the candidates they need in order to get information.

“The job of the journalist is to listen to these people,” he said.

Visiting congressional elections also allows for hands-on experience and interaction with voters, Doyle added. He said he thought following the candidates he reports on will provide him with a better perspective on American politics.