Attitudes towards Human Rights in European Foreign Policy
Research question/goal:
This project examines how non zero sum arguments shape attitudes toward European foreign policy and its promotion of universal human rights. It explores how zero sum beliefs align with existing foreign policy orientations and how support for EU human rights policies can be strengthened by highlighting potential benefits for European citizens. By showing how investing in human rights abroad benefits both the EU and its citizens, we test new ways to counter zero sum assumptions and bolster support for an EU foreign policy in line with the Lisbon Treaty. In a world marked by global conflicts and uncertainty about US foreign policy, the EU faces pressing choices about its role and values on the international stage. This project delivers new insights into how European citizens form their opinions and what kinds of arguments can foster stronger public backing for a human rights centered EU foreign policy.
Current stage:
We submitted the funding application for this project to the DFG. As preparatory work, we analyzed data from the European Social Survey, EUI-YouGov surveys, and Eurobarometer data, revealing a robust and substantive relationship between political efficacy, general support for human rights, and support for human rights promotion by the EU.
The project team successfully applied to a call for questions for the GESIS panel wave 11.2024/01.2025. These data have recently been published by GESIS. With these data we investigate the patterns of support for human rights promotion in German and EU foreign policy in relation to perceived neglect of citizens’ needs by the German government or the European Commission.
The project team will host a workshop in March 2026 to finalize the new survey experiments that are planned to be fielded as soon as funding has been secured. The workshop invited researchers from the University of Mannheim and experts from the University of Birmingham, the University of St. Gallen and the Technical University Munich.