Robert Ralston
Biographic Data
| ID | 4134731 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Robert Ralston |
| GIVEN NAMES | Robert |
| FAMILY NAME | Ralston |
| SIGNATURE | RALSTON R |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Birmingham |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4470-1242 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 60 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 16 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2017 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
The Elusive Consensus: Diverging US Views on Competition against China
Dangerous Deference: What the British Public Think about Civil‐Military Relations
Accepted norms of democratic civil‐military relations aver, regarding the use of force, that military officers may not substitute civilians’ judgement with their own and that civilians should not follow their guidance blindly. These theories often rest on the presumption that three critical actors—government, armed forces, and the public—adhere to these norms. Democracy suffers if voters are unduly deferential to military leaders and if their ele…
Public Attitudes Toward Diversity, Promotion, and Leadership in the U.S. Military
This article explores how the public understands military service and diversity. Using a conjoint survey experiment, we ask respondents to select between two candidates for promotion. We randomly present respondents’ two profiles, which vary the candidates’ gender, race, sexual orientation, marital status, number of years served, number of deployments, combat experience, and branch of the military. We find that respondents do not discount candida…
What do we owe soldiers? Evidence from the UK Armed Forces Covenant
What do people in liberal polities believe they owe soldiers for their service? The UK’s Armed Forces Covenant, promulgated in 2000 and enshrined in law in 2021, presents a real-world opportunity to examine the effects of inducing citizens to reflect on soldiering. We develop and test two contending theoretical logics, grounded in the liberal political culture from which the Covenant emerged, using unique observational data and a novel survey exp…
Do Soldiers Get a Say? Soldiers’ Views and Public Support for Military Operations in Four Democracies
When deciding whether to support a military operation, do citizens in democracies weigh whether soldiers themselves support the operation? Recent research has concluded that, in the United States, public support for military operations rests in part on people’s beliefs that soldiers favor their own deployment. However, it is not known whether this finding extends beyond the United States to democracies with diverse national citizenship discourses…
The national security state and the uses of militarism
Citizenship Traditions and Cultures of Military Service: Patriotism and Paychecks in Five Democracies
Why do people think that soldiers and officers join the military? In this article, we report and explain unique survey results of nationally representative populations in five democracies-France, Germany, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Beliefs about motivations for military service vary significantly by nation. In Israel and France, large majorities endorse intrinsic accounts of service motivations-that is, those centering on …
American decline and anti-Asian American sentiment
Does relative American decline lead to anti-Asian American sentiment? In this research note, I argue that messages related to the decline of the United States heighten anti-Asian American sentiment. National decline leads, I argue, to outgroup derogation in the name of in-group continuity and security. I test my argument using a survey experiment of 1,220 U.S. respondents. I find that respondents who are exposed to a prime that describes the Unit…
No Right to Be Wrong: What Americans Think about Civil-Military Relations
An influential model of democratic civil-military relations insists that civilian politicians and officials, accountable to the public, have “the right to be wrong” about the use of force: they, not senior military officers, decide when force will be used and set military strategy. While polls have routinely asked about Americans’ trust in the military, they have rarely probed deeply into Americans’ views of civil-military relations. We report an…
When OK is Not OK: Public Concern About White Nationalism in the U.S. Military
Are Americans aware and concerned about White nationalism in the U.S. Military? Our large and demographically representative survey suggests that while most Americans suspect at least some presence of White nationalism in the military, many do not view it as a serious problem; particularly self-identified conservatives and respondents who hold highly favorable views toward military service members. However, in a between-/within-subjects experimen…
Make Us Great Again: The Causes of Declinism in Major Powers
Narratives of national decline occur frequently, often independent of “objective” measures of decline. What causes declinism? First, I argue that declinism most often comes from opposition brokers. Brokers bring otherwise unconnected groups and individuals together in a coalition. This coalition is well positioned to blame the nation’s decline on the establishment. Second, I argue that negative events or conditions help narratives of decline reso…
Patriotism or Paychecks: Who Believes What About Why Soldiers Serve
Although voluntary recruitment to the military is today the Western norm, we know little about citizens' beliefs regarding service members' reasons for joining. This article, reporting and analyzing the results of a nationally representative U.S. survey, rectifies this gap. We find that, despite the reality of market-based recruitment, many Americans continue to subscribe to an idealized image of service members as moved by self-sacrificing patri…
A Call to Arms for Climate Change? How Military Service Member Concern About Climate Change Can Inform Effective Climate Communication
Military service members are a highly trusted group – especially among ideological conservatives. Consequently, we devised an environmental communication strategy that attributes pro-climate messages to military service members, aimed at convincing conservative climate skeptics to express elevated concern. In a large survey experiment, we show that conservatives are more likely to express concern about climate change when framed as a national sec…
Why They Fight: How Perceived Motivations for Military Service Shape Support for the Use of Force
What shapes public support for military missions? Existing scholarship points to, on the one hand, individuals’ affiliations and predispositions (such as political partisanship and gender), and, on the other hand, factors that shape a rational cost–benefit analysis (notably, mission objectives, the prospects for victory, and the magnitude and distribution of costs). We argue that public opinion is also shaped by beliefs about why soldiers volunta…
Taking Social Cohesion to Task: Perceptions of Transgender Military Inclusion and Concepts of Cohesion
Recent political debates over the inclusion of transgender servicemembers in the US military center around the impact such inclusion will have on unit cohesion and effectiveness. Missing from the debate, however, are the perceptions of those who do the soldiering. What are their perceptions of cohesion? Do they, like political leaders and the general public, believe unit cohesion leads to military effectiveness? In other words, how much does the …
Budget Analysis as a Tool to Monitor Economic and Social Rights: Where the Rubber of International Commitment Meets the Road of Government Policy
This policy and practice note investigates budget analysis as a potential method for human rights practitioners to adopt and implement in their ongoing work. It uses expert interviews, detailed reviews of prior budget analyses, and academic literature to identify the strengths and weaknesses of budget analysis as a method. Budget analysis is a powerful tool for human rights activists. Budgets represent a key piece of evidence for practitioners to…
No Right to Be Wrong: What Americans Think about Civil-Military Relations
An influential model of democratic civil-military relations insists that civilian politicians and officials, accountable to the public, have “the right to be wrong” about the use of force: they, not senior military officers, decide when force will be used and set military strategy. While polls have routinely asked about Americans’ trust in the military, they have rarely probed deeply into Americans’ views of civil-military relations. We report an…
Patriotism or Paychecks: Who Believes What About Why Soldiers Serve
Although voluntary recruitment to the military is today the Western norm, we know little about citizens' beliefs regarding service members' reasons for joining. This article, reporting and analyzing the results of a nationally representative U.S. survey, rectifies this gap. We find that, despite the reality of market-based recruitment, many Americans continue to subscribe to an idealized image of service members as moved by self-sacrificing patri…
Why They Fight: How Perceived Motivations for Military Service Shape Support for the Use of Force
What shapes public support for military missions? Existing scholarship points to, on the one hand, individuals’ affiliations and predispositions (such as political partisanship and gender), and, on the other hand, factors that shape a rational cost–benefit analysis (notably, mission objectives, the prospects for victory, and the magnitude and distribution of costs). We argue that public opinion is also shaped by beliefs about why soldiers volunta…
American decline and anti-Asian American sentiment
Does relative American decline lead to anti-Asian American sentiment? In this research note, I argue that messages related to the decline of the United States heighten anti-Asian American sentiment. National decline leads, I argue, to outgroup derogation in the name of in-group continuity and security. I test my argument using a survey experiment of 1,220 U.S. respondents. I find that respondents who are exposed to a prime that describes the Unit…
Do Soldiers Get a Say? Soldiers’ Views and Public Support for Military Operations in Four Democracies
When deciding whether to support a military operation, do citizens in democracies weigh whether soldiers themselves support the operation? Recent research has concluded that, in the United States, public support for military operations rests in part on people’s beliefs that soldiers favor their own deployment. However, it is not known whether this finding extends beyond the United States to democracies with diverse national citizenship discourses…
The national security state and the uses of militarism
Citizenship Traditions and Cultures of Military Service: Patriotism and Paychecks in Five Democracies
Why do people think that soldiers and officers join the military? In this article, we report and explain unique survey results of nationally representative populations in five democracies-France, Germany, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Beliefs about motivations for military service vary significantly by nation. In Israel and France, large majorities endorse intrinsic accounts of service motivations-that is, those centering on …
When OK is Not OK: Public Concern About White Nationalism in the U.S. Military
Are Americans aware and concerned about White nationalism in the U.S. Military? Our large and demographically representative survey suggests that while most Americans suspect at least some presence of White nationalism in the military, many do not view it as a serious problem; particularly self-identified conservatives and respondents who hold highly favorable views toward military service members. However, in a between-/within-subjects experimen…
Make Us Great Again: The Causes of Declinism in Major Powers
Narratives of national decline occur frequently, often independent of “objective” measures of decline. What causes declinism? First, I argue that declinism most often comes from opposition brokers. Brokers bring otherwise unconnected groups and individuals together in a coalition. This coalition is well positioned to blame the nation’s decline on the establishment. Second, I argue that negative events or conditions help narratives of decline reso…
Taking Social Cohesion to Task: Perceptions of Transgender Military Inclusion and Concepts of Cohesion
Recent political debates over the inclusion of transgender servicemembers in the US military center around the impact such inclusion will have on unit cohesion and effectiveness. Missing from the debate, however, are the perceptions of those who do the soldiering. What are their perceptions of cohesion? Do they, like political leaders and the general public, believe unit cohesion leads to military effectiveness? In other words, how much does the …
Budget Analysis as a Tool to Monitor Economic and Social Rights: Where the Rubber of International Commitment Meets the Road of Government Policy
This policy and practice note investigates budget analysis as a potential method for human rights practitioners to adopt and implement in their ongoing work. It uses expert interviews, detailed reviews of prior budget analyses, and academic literature to identify the strengths and weaknesses of budget analysis as a method. Budget analysis is a powerful tool for human rights activists. Budgets represent a key piece of evidence for practitioners to…
Taking Social Cohesion to Task: Perceptions of Transgender Military Inclusion and Concepts of Cohesion
Recent political debates over the inclusion of transgender servicemembers in the US military center around the impact such inclusion will have on unit cohesion and effectiveness. Missing from the debate, however, are the perceptions of those who do the soldiering. What are their perceptions of cohesion? Do they, like political leaders and the general public, believe unit cohesion leads to military effectiveness? In other words, how much does the …
A Call to Arms for Climate Change? How Military Service Member Concern About Climate Change Can Inform Effective Climate Communication
Military service members are a highly trusted group – especially among ideological conservatives. Consequently, we devised an environmental communication strategy that attributes pro-climate messages to military service members, aimed at convincing conservative climate skeptics to express elevated concern. In a large survey experiment, we show that conservatives are more likely to express concern about climate change when framed as a national sec…
Why They Fight: How Perceived Motivations for Military Service Shape Support for the Use of Force
What shapes public support for military missions? Existing scholarship points to, on the one hand, individuals’ affiliations and predispositions (such as political partisanship and gender), and, on the other hand, factors that shape a rational cost–benefit analysis (notably, mission objectives, the prospects for victory, and the magnitude and distribution of costs). We argue that public opinion is also shaped by beliefs about why soldiers volunta…
When OK is Not OK: Public Concern About White Nationalism in the U.S. Military
Are Americans aware and concerned about White nationalism in the U.S. Military? Our large and demographically representative survey suggests that while most Americans suspect at least some presence of White nationalism in the military, many do not view it as a serious problem; particularly self-identified conservatives and respondents who hold highly favorable views toward military service members. However, in a between-/within-subjects experimen…
Make Us Great Again: The Causes of Declinism in Major Powers
Narratives of national decline occur frequently, often independent of “objective” measures of decline. What causes declinism? First, I argue that declinism most often comes from opposition brokers. Brokers bring otherwise unconnected groups and individuals together in a coalition. This coalition is well positioned to blame the nation’s decline on the establishment. Second, I argue that negative events or conditions help narratives of decline reso…
Patriotism or Paychecks: Who Believes What About Why Soldiers Serve
Although voluntary recruitment to the military is today the Western norm, we know little about citizens' beliefs regarding service members' reasons for joining. This article, reporting and analyzing the results of a nationally representative U.S. survey, rectifies this gap. We find that, despite the reality of market-based recruitment, many Americans continue to subscribe to an idealized image of service members as moved by self-sacrificing patri…
American decline and anti-Asian American sentiment
Does relative American decline lead to anti-Asian American sentiment? In this research note, I argue that messages related to the decline of the United States heighten anti-Asian American sentiment. National decline leads, I argue, to outgroup derogation in the name of in-group continuity and security. I test my argument using a survey experiment of 1,220 U.S. respondents. I find that respondents who are exposed to a prime that describes the Unit…
No Right to Be Wrong: What Americans Think about Civil-Military Relations
An influential model of democratic civil-military relations insists that civilian politicians and officials, accountable to the public, have “the right to be wrong” about the use of force: they, not senior military officers, decide when force will be used and set military strategy. While polls have routinely asked about Americans’ trust in the military, they have rarely probed deeply into Americans’ views of civil-military relations. We report an…
The national security state and the uses of militarism
Citizenship Traditions and Cultures of Military Service: Patriotism and Paychecks in Five Democracies
Why do people think that soldiers and officers join the military? In this article, we report and explain unique survey results of nationally representative populations in five democracies-France, Germany, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Beliefs about motivations for military service vary significantly by nation. In Israel and France, large majorities endorse intrinsic accounts of service motivations-that is, those centering on …
Public Attitudes Toward Diversity, Promotion, and Leadership in the U.S. Military
This article explores how the public understands military service and diversity. Using a conjoint survey experiment, we ask respondents to select between two candidates for promotion. We randomly present respondents’ two profiles, which vary the candidates’ gender, race, sexual orientation, marital status, number of years served, number of deployments, combat experience, and branch of the military. We find that respondents do not discount candida…
What do we owe soldiers? Evidence from the UK Armed Forces Covenant
What do people in liberal polities believe they owe soldiers for their service? The UK’s Armed Forces Covenant, promulgated in 2000 and enshrined in law in 2021, presents a real-world opportunity to examine the effects of inducing citizens to reflect on soldiering. We develop and test two contending theoretical logics, grounded in the liberal political culture from which the Covenant emerged, using unique observational data and a novel survey exp…
Do Soldiers Get a Say? Soldiers’ Views and Public Support for Military Operations in Four Democracies
When deciding whether to support a military operation, do citizens in democracies weigh whether soldiers themselves support the operation? Recent research has concluded that, in the United States, public support for military operations rests in part on people’s beliefs that soldiers favor their own deployment. However, it is not known whether this finding extends beyond the United States to democracies with diverse national citizenship discourses…
The Elusive Consensus: Diverging US Views on Competition against China
Dangerous Deference: What the British Public Think about Civil‐Military Relations
Accepted norms of democratic civil‐military relations aver, regarding the use of force, that military officers may not substitute civilians’ judgement with their own and that civilians should not follow their guidance blindly. These theories often rest on the presumption that three critical actors—government, armed forces, and the public—adhere to these norms. Democracy suffers if voters are unduly deferential to military leaders and if their ele…
Political science (13 works) · Politics (12 works) · Law (11 works) · Gender, Security, and Conflict (8 works) · Defense, Military, and Policy Studies (7 works) · Law (7 works) · Military service (7 works) · Psychology (7 works) · Public relations (6 works) · Social and Intergroup Psychology (5 works)