Populism and Foreign Policy Preferences: Experiments in the US and the UK

• In Event: The Rise of Populist Foreign Policy

Abstract

In the context of President’s Trump election in the US, and Brexit in the UK, the term ‘populism’ has become increasingly popular among academics and pundits. Yet seldom are concepts so difficult to define. We draw from several literatures and identify three major dimensions of populism. Using data from nationally representative surveys conducted in the US and the UK we examine public reactions to populist messages in the context of support for financing international development institutions and foreign aid. Our findings illuminate what Americans and Britons most associate with the term populism and explain the role populist messages play in shaping foreign policy preferences.

Authors

• A. Burcu Bayram, University of Arkansas

• Catarina P. Thomson, University of Exeter