Stanton Foundation

This project aims to address an important gap in our knowledge of contemporary public attitudes toward nuclear arms control in the United States and European NATO countries. We use experimental survey methodology to examine: 1. the baseline public support for various arms control approaches vis-á-vis Russia and China; 2. the cross-national differences in public support for nuclear arms control among individual NATO member states; 3. the differences in public support for nuclear arms control within those countries, based on the political ideology of individuals and relevant socio-demographic factors; 4. the possibility of shifting these attitudes through cues from partisan and non-partisan experts. The findings of this project will enhance our understanding of public views on nuclear arms control at a time of significant geopolitical turmoil. In addition to scholars and experts in the field, these findings ought to be also useful for policy-makers in NATO countries who are looking for ways to enhance public support for pertinent security policies.