Public Opinion & Foreign Policy

Micro-level conflict processes are inextricably linked to public opinion. In a series of papers on foreign policy, I investigate mass attitudes on gender, climate change, and conflict, emphasizing how behavioral factors like stereotypes, identity, and emotions shape perceptions and beliefs.

Gender stereotypes. With Joshua A. Schwartz, I show that gender stereotypes shape audience costs — women leaders are punished more for backing down from threats (IO 2020) — and that women pay a “gendered peace premium” when pursuing conciliation (ISQ 2023).

Conflict and norms. With Jonathan A. Chu and Joshua A. Schwartz, I use a list experiment to detect “insincere norm-holders” who privately support chemical-weapons use (JCR 2022). With Michael C. Horowitz, I study soldiers’ attitudes toward the chemical-weapons taboo in the WWII Pacific theater and the role of military training (JOP 2024).