White Protectionism in International Relations: White Victimhood and the Repurposing of Racial Equality

Abstract

Throughout the first and second Trump administrations, US foreign policy and rhetoric has been colored by racial and civilizational rhetoric. Concerns of supposed Western civilizational decline exist alongside frozen refugee admissions, cuts to foreign aid, and a global anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (anti-DEI) campaign. Existing explanations are unable to account for these patterns nor is there any systematic evidence regarding the impact of such policies on foreign public attitudes. To shed light on the racial dimensions of U.S. foreign policy, we introduce the concept of “white protectionism” to International Relations (IR) and analyze how white protectionist grand strategy alters public opinion in allied countries. White protectionism asserts that white people are threatened by racial-cultural erasure and anti-White discrimination, and enlists state power to protect them. We propose survey experiments in Japan and the United Kingdom and report results from the UK pilot that show how white protectionism alters attitudes toward the ally, preferences for foreign policy cooperation, and support for racial equality norms. Our work promises to shed light on the unique relationship between statements of US grand strategy, foreign public opinion, and racial norms and identities.