The Social Construction of Threat in US Foreign Policy: Understanding the Threat of Nuclear Proliferation

• In Event: Re-Theorizing International Relations

Abstract

The emergence of narratives of “fake news” and “alternative facts” in American political discourse has increased the salience of constructivist theory. Political spin has long been a feature of politics, yet recent trends in American political rhetoric have called into question the nature of truth and its relationship with public policy. Drawing on post-positivist insights, this study seeks to better understand the relationship between truth and public policy and develops a Constructivist Theory of Threat Perception (CTTP). Focusing on the issue of threat perception related to nuclear proliferation, this paper argues that what is or isn’t considered a threat to American interests is a function of social narratives. Utilizing content analysis of media discourse on Iranian and Israeli proliferation, this paper demonstrates that threat assessment is often disconnected from objective measures of nuclear capacity. Instead, the evidence shows that threat perception is linked to discourse about US foreign policy. When a country is portrayed by the media in positive language, as an ally or partner, the threat level ascribed to its nuclear program is generally low. In contrast, when a country is portrayed in negative language as a hostile rival or enemy, the threat attributed to its nuclear program increases.

Author

• Travis Blemings, West Chester University