Anti-Americanism and the Rise of World Opinion : Consequences for the US National Interest

Under the presidencies of Bush and Obama, anti-Americanism has emerged as a topic of considerable interest to policy-makers, pundits, and scholars alike. Drawing from a wealth of analytical research, this book addresses the pivotal question of whether anti-Americanism has a significant impact on the American national interest.

In recent years, the US has seen its public popularity ratings around the world plummet under the presidency of George W. Bush, and subsequently soar upon the election of Barack Obama. The issue of anti-Americanism has received considerable attention from policy-makers, pundits and scholars alike. It is perhaps surprising then that systematic empirical studies of its consequences are still few and far between. Drawing from a wealth of research data, interviews and surveys of social media, this book directly examines pro- and anti-American views and asks what we can learn about the nature and impact of world opinion. By treating anti-Americanism as a case study of public opinion at work, Professor Datta reveals how we can better understand the relationship between global citizens and their political leaders, and concludes that anti-Americanism does in fact substantially impact US security, as well as its economic and political interests.