Examining the foreign policy attitudes in Moldova

This paper aims to examine the correlates of foreign policy attitudes in Moldova by a multilevel analysis, and to also reveal some characteristics of the Moldova’s difficult geopolitical and economic context, such as the ethnical conflicts and poverty. A set of four foreign policy attitudes are explained upon individual- and regional level socio-economic and demographic correlates, of which poverty is the main focus, being represented here by several objective, subjective, uni- and multidimensional indicators. An indicator of deprivation is derived from a group of poverty indicators by the method Item Response Theory. Deprivation, subjective poverty, ethnicity and the Russian media influence are found to be associated with negative attitudes toward all foreign policies, while satisfaction with economic conditions in the country and a positive attitude toward refugees are both associated with positive attitudes toward all foreign policies.

Human or not? Political rhetoric and foreign policy attitudes

When the United States intervenes in foreign countries, the lives of both foreign combatants and foreign civilians are put at risk. I examine two rhetorical strategies, the use of sanitized and dehumanizing language that can influence the public's support of foreign intervention. In the context of foreign policy, sanitized language operates by obscuring casualties of war, while dehumanizing language operates by devaluing the lives of groups of individuals. Drawing on data from two experiments, I find that sanitized language operates through creating less of an emotional reaction toward casualties of war, which causes individuals to adopt more hawkish foreign policy attitudes. I find that dehumanizing language also leads to more hawkish foreign policy attitudes, but, contrary to expectations, does not lead to increased disgust or anger toward dehumanized groups.

Relationship of Ethic of Autonomy, Community and Nationalism to Russians’ Foreign Policy Attitudes

Objectives. The aim was to study the association between moral foundations and Russians’ foreign policy attitudes. Background. There is a growing interest in the factors that determine attitudes towards other peoples and countries, but the foreign policy attitudes of citizens that determine their support of the respective state’s foreign policy remain insufficiently researched. This study examines the foreign policy attitudes in the context of the Moral foundations theory. We assume that militant internationalism is related to binding moral foundations (“Loyalty”, “Respect”, “Purity”) and nationalism, while cooperative internationalism probably is based on the individualizing moral foundations (“Care” and “Justice”). Study design. Correlation design was used, followed by structural linear modeling and analysis of mediation effects. Participants. 214 university students (average age 25.18, 20% men). Measurements. A blank survey was conducted using Moral Foundations Questionnaire by J. Graham et al., the questionnaire developed on the basis of Foreign Policy Attitudes Scales by T. Gravelle et al., and Civil Identity Scale from the International Social Survey. Results. The results of structural equation modeling have confirmed the indirect relation between binding moral foundations and militant internationalism mediated by the nationalism and the direct association between cooperative internationalism and individualizing moral foundations. We also revealed that individualizing moral foundations were inversely associated to nationalism and the related militant internationalism. Conclusions. Russians’ foreign policy attitudes are related with the characteristics of the moral sphere and nationalism: Binding moral foundations indirectly (through nationalism) support militant internationalism, while individualizing moral foundations support cooperative internationalism.

Framing middle power foreign policy: trade, security, and human rights frames in Canadian and Australian foreign policy attitudes

Middle power states in the Indo-Pacific region face a challenging foreign policy environment in light of geopolitical and economic rivalry between the United States and China. In this context, what factors shape the foreign policy attitudes of middle power publics? This article presents results from a set of survey-based experiments conducted in Canada and Australia, two archetypal middle power states located on the Pacific Rim. Demographically representative samples of both publics were presented with randomized vignettes highlighting facets of bilateral relations with the United States, regional partners (Mexico in the Canadian case, and Indonesia in the Australian case), and China. Results indicate that making different aspects of a particular relationship salient as part of the vignette shapes perceptions of and preferences toward relations with the state in question. Foreign policy attitudes are thus amenable to framing effects. Still, results point to different frames having greater relevance to different bilateral relationships.

Foreign Policy Attitudes as Networks

Since at least 1964, public opinion scholars have searched for signs of “constraint” in the American public’s foreign policy attitudes. This chapter reviews these attempts and suggests that the ensuing work has ultimately fallen into two research traditions that have largely been conducted in isolation of one another: horizontal models that portray attitudes as being sorted along multiple dimensions on the same plane and vertical models that imply a hierarchical organization in which abstract values determine specific policy positions. It then offers a new—networked—paradigm for political attitudes in foreign affairs, leveraging tools from network analysis to show that both camps make unrealistically strict assumptions about the directionality and uniformity of attitude structure. The chapter shows that specific policy attitudes play more central roles than existing theories give them credit for and that the topology of attitude networks varies substantially with individual characteristics like political sophistication.

Foreign Policy Attitudes of the Black Talented Tenth

Do Talented Tenth and non–Talented Tenth Blacks support moral and socially conscious US foreign policies to the same degree? Utilizing a 2010 national sample from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, we find statistical evidence that members of the Talented Tenth are more likely than other Blacks to support America’s role to combat global hunger and to provide economic aid to assist needy countries in developing their economies. An examination of the foreign policy attitudes of the Black Talented Tenth is an important undertaking because it provides insight into what our expectations should be for rising African Americans as more of them enter into its ranks. Should we expect the next generation of African Americans to be more conscientious as they increasingly assume the mantles of leadership and responsibility? The results in this article lay bare the enormous work the present generation of Black educators must undertake to ensure the next generation are ready to do so. By observing the internationalist attitudes of the present Talented Tenth, especially as those attitudes relate to creating a more just, equitable, and harmonious world, it is possible to find ways to critically engage and help the next generation to provide the type of leadership necessary to make a positive difference.