Knowledge-Based Pathways to Supporting Human Rights

• In Event: Disinformation and Misinformation in International Politics

Abstract

The public’s perceptions of foreign policy has the potential to constrain the range of policy options available to leaders. Some leaders have been hesitant to adopt overly-aggressive responses to rivals for fear of not having the necessary support at home. In other words, public opinion on foreign policy questions may have tangible effects on state actions. However, while we understand the individual-level and contextual conditions that shape opinion more broadly, we still have more to learn about the forces that shape public opinion on specific foreign policy questions. This paper seeks to understand how the public’s level of knowledge influences the positions they take toward human rights policies. Our expectation is that more knowledgeable Americans are more supportive of the government seeking to promote human rights, but that the reason underlying such support varies between knowledgeable Republicans and Democrats. This paper utilizes original survey data collected through Lucid in 14 mid-sized U.S. cities to test these expectations.

Authors

• Nicholas J. Clark, Susquehanna University

• Rolfe Daus Peterson, Susquehanna University

• Janice L D Clark, Susquehanna University