U.S. in the World has worked with hundreds of advocates and issue experts to develop messaging advice that helps communicators tell a more effective, consistent story about their policy priorities while also reinforcing the elements of a big shared story about the need for responsible, farsighted U.S. global engagement across a range of issues. Today, influential opinion leaders are applying our messaging recommendations and consulting our commissioned research as they engage in some of the nation’s most pressing foreign policy debates.
Our Current Project
Managing the Fear Factor
U.S. in the World is currently conducting a multi-year project entitled Managing the Fear Factor, which draws on insights from the social sciences and from public opinion and messaging research to help advocates of responsible U.S. global engagement meet the unique communications challenges they face in times of public fear and anxiety. More, including messaging resources…
Recent Projects on Security
From its inception, the U.S. in the World Initiative has worked to help advocates and issue experts understand what – and how – the public really thinks about security, and what this implies for effective advocacy on behalf of responsible policy approaches. Over the past three years, in a time of shifting political dynamics, U.S. in the World has collaborated with several key partners to develop important new insights and resources for communicators who want to talk with Americans about national security and related policy issues.
Making Sense of Security
In 2007, U.S. in the World commissioned a unique synthesis and analysis (called a “meta-analysis”) of over 200 recent security-related opinion polls and focus groups. This review led to the publication of a number of research reports and messaging resources that shed light on how Americans understand security, what kind of role they want the U.S. to play in the world, how values enter into public thinking about security and foreign policy – and what these dynamics imply for communicators. More, including messaging resources…
The Connection between National and Global Security
In early 2008, U.S. in the World drew on this meta-analytical research and on consultations with the Stanley Foundation’s Public Engagement Working Group on U.S. and Global Security to develop a messaging resource on the connections between U.S. and global security. More…
Who Owns Security?
In the summer of 2008, U.S. in the World joined with the National Security Network and the Topos Partnership to examine how the public views the two major political parties (and conservatives and progressives in general) on national security; why the public holds those attitudes and feelings; and how the public’s assumptions and beliefs play out in connection with specific aspects of national security policy. More…
Talking about Nuclear Weapons Policy with the American Public
In the summer of 2009, the U.S. in the World Initiative was asked to synthesize, analyze and develop messaging recommendations based on three recent research projects that examined public opinion on nuclear weapons issues. More…
Past Projects
In addition to these current and recent security-related projects, U.S. in the World has worked in a number of other issue areas to develop messaging guidance. For a complete list of our messaging resources, click here.
