Polarization and US foreign policy: key debates and new findings

Abstract

Polarization in the USA has been on the rise for several decades. In this context, few observers expect politics today to stop “at the water’s edge,” as the old cliché goes. But key questions about the relationship between polarization and US foreign policy remain to be fully answered. To what extent are American ideas about foreign policy now polarized along partisan lines? How is polarization changing the foreign policy behavior of the US Congress and President? And how is polarization altering the effectiveness of US foreign policy and influencing America’s role in the world? In this introductory article to our special issue “Domestic Polarization and US Foreign Policy: Ideas, Institutions, and Policy Implications,” we provide an overview of key debates and existing knowledge about these questions, highlight important new findings from the contributions to the special issue, and suggest avenues for further research on this increasingly important topic.

The Rumours of the Crisis of Liberal Interventionism Are Greatly Exaggerated

“…The argument builds on the assumption that public attitudes towards foreign policy can impact decision-makers. It is, however, a highly questionable assumption, as many surveys show that foreign policy issues figure low on the priorities of most voters (Foyle, 2017;Friedrichs & Tama, 2022). Thus, the focus in this section shifts from strategic culture as a main explanatory factor to the potential significance of state-society relations and domestic government institutions.…”

“A Battle for the Soul of This Nation”: How Domestic Polarization Affects US Foreign Policy in Post-Trump America

“…20 When it comes to the consequences of polarization, research has suggested that "polarization is making it harder for the US to contribute constructively to global problem-solving and international order maintenance." 21 Virtually all existing scholarly work on polarization and US foreign policy has been implicitly or explicitly rationalist in orientation. There is, however, a particular version of constructivism that may help advance our understanding of how societal polarization carries over into the realm of foreign and security policy.…”

Harnessing Backlash: How Leaders Can Benefit from Antagonizing Foreign Actors

“…Legislative polarization also risks policy gridlock, including on foreign policy issues. For example, this poses a significant problem if Congress needs to affirmatively approve line items for Israel aid in the budget (Friedrichs and Tama 2022).…”

“…Legislative polarization also risks policy gridlock, including on foreign policy issues. For example, this poses a significant problem if Congress needs to affirmatively approve line items for Israel aid in the budget (Friedrichs and Tama 2022). By alienating Democrats and invoking these costs, the speech could serve as a meaningful signal to the Israeli public about Netanyahu's preferences.…”