Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: The Social Context

Abstract

This article looks at the influence of social identity on public attitudes toward American foreign policy. In terms of foreign policy, U.S. citizens show solidarity with other members of their race by supporting policies that prove beneficial to them. Utilizing data from the 2010 Global Views national survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the paper shows social identity as expressed through racial solidarity helps to facilitate this socio-cognitive process. It also provides evidence illustrating racial solidarity increases the desire of different social groups to support policies which will ultimately benefit ingroups at home, as well as overseas populations they consider as part of their ingroup. The paper also argues and provides evidence showing racial solidarity causes certain social groups to have warm feelings toward countries that contain large populations of people they consider as part of their ingroup. The evidence presented in this article moves people closer to understanding the political implications of social identity even in the realm of U.S. foreign policy.