My book American Opinion on Trade: Preferences without Politics is available to order from Oxford University Press.
I build upon prior my prior research on the salience of trade to explain why trade has fallen out of political discourse in recent campaigns, despite a growing divide between public opinion and US trade policy. Although trade policy once defined U.S. political parties, many politicians now attempt to avoid the topic of trade and few political entrepreneurs seek to disturb this silence. I identify previously overlooked sources of protectionist sentiment such as gender and race-based employment concerns and race-based ideas about which groups deserve redistribution. I show the difficulties politicians face in mobilizing sentiment based on these or previously identified determinants of opinion and the potential political dangers of attempts to move public opinion on trade closer to current policy on trade.
Hear more about the American Opinion on Trade by clicking on this podcast with Micha Zenko of the Council for Foreign Relations”: “What Americans Really Think about Trade: A Conversation with Alexandra Guisinger.”
Alternatively, watch my interview on Bloomberg TV’s “What’d you miss?” here: “How non-economic interests influence views on trade.” of on CGTN’s Global Business show here: “Alexandra Guisinger discusses trade, tariffs as US eyes new tariffs on China”
Or, read short pieces in the Washington Post’s Monkey cage here: “Americans’ views of trade aren’t just about economics. They’re also about race.”; here “Politicians take a negative view on trade deals even the ones the voted for“; and here “Why Trump’s steel tariffs may end up helping him politically”
Selected Publications
- “Trade Policy is Back in the News Will Voters Care?” The Forum 17.4 (2020): 647-674.
- “Mapping the Boundaries of Elite Cues: How Elites Shape Mass Opinion Across International Issues” (with Elizabeth Saunders). International Studies Quarterly 61.2 (June, 2017): 425–441. Winner of the Foreign Policy section’s best paper award for APSA 2014.
- “Information, Gender, and Differences in Individual Preferences for Trade” The Journal of Women, Politics, and Policy. 37.4 (2016): 538-561.
- “The Diffusion of Financial Liberalization Across Regional Integration Agreements (RIAs) in Developing Countries” (with Nancy Brune) Foreign Policy Analysis. 13.1 (2017): 1-27.
- “ICSID, Public Opinion, and the Effect of (Hypothetical) Elite Messaging” (with Alisha Anderson) Columbia FDI Perspectives. 127 (August 4, 2014).
- “Exchange Rate Proclamations and Inflation-Fighting Credibility” (with David Singer) International Organization 64.2 (April, 2010): 313-337.
- “Determining Trade Policy: Do Voters Hold Politicians Accountable?” International Organization 63.3 (July, 2009): 533-557.
- “Honest Threats: The Interaction of Reputation and Political Institutions in International Crises” (with Alastair Smith) Journal of Conflict Resolution 46.2 (April, 2002): 175-200.