@laurensukin
Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations, Nuffield College, University of Oxford | Nuclear Weapons | Alliance Politics | Emerging Technology | Contact: lauren.sukin@politics.ox.ac.uk |
Piece w/ @laurensukin.bsky.social & @lanoszka.bsky.social out in Apr. 2026 issue of Journal of Conflict Resolution. We surveyed publics in 24 countries in 2023: Calibrated US restraint/support for Kyiv was reassuring. Strong resolve isn't the only thing that can reassure.
doi.org/10.1177/0022...
Consider applying to join Nuffield College and the Department of Politics and International Relations at Oxford as an associate professor in IR. This excellent post is for a non-tutorial fellowship (very little undergrad teaching). Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
lnkd.in/eR6qBDNb.
Are deterrence and disarmament compatible?
In a new paper with @jluisrodriguez.com & @herzogsm.bsky.social, we question the common deterrence-disarmament divide.
With a survey of nuclear attitudes, we show publics around the world simultaneously support both policies.
tinyurl.com/5cbf76cx
1/5
Great news! "Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail" is now #OpenAccess so that everyone can read it online. Thanks to generous support from @mitpress.bsky.social Direct to Open (D20). @managingtheatom.bsky.social @belfercenter.bsky.social
Check it out here:
doi.org/10.7551/mitp...
International Fellowships 2026 The International Fellowships Programme enables researchers to work for two years at a UK institution with the aim of building a globally connected, mobile research and innovation workforce. Funding status Open for applications Career stage Early-career
Please help spread the word on this, especially to those who may be feeling cold winds towards their research.
We’ve opened the call for our International Fellowships, enabling early career researchers to work for two years at a UK research institution
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
1/7
It's book publication day! "Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail" is out now from @mitpress.bsky.social in @belfercenter.bsky.social's Studies in International Security book series.
Contents and discount codes below. @managingtheatom.bsky.social
mitpress.mit.edu/978026205185...
Does public opinion matter for nuclear policy? We say yes, in @ejisbisa.bsky.social.
Whether the public backs nuclear use can sway leaders’ preferences and affects external perceptions of the credibility of deterrence.
doi.org/10.1017/eis....
Navigating the New Nuclear Map with Lauren Sukin and Nicola Leveringhaus
The old nuclear rulebook is out of date. From China's growing arsenal to a "crisis of faith" in US alliances, the world is facing a new, more complex nuclear landscape.
Our discussion on all this and more with
@laurensukin.bsky.social and Nicola Leveringhaus: tnsr.org/horns-of-a-d...
1/5
In @foreignpolicy.com, @laurensukin.bsky.social, @lanoszka.bsky.social, and I provide analysis on how publics around the world viewed the Biden administration's extensive but restricted military aid to Ukraine in 2022-2023.
foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/20/u...
💥 "Navigating the New Nuclear Map" 💥
The nuclear landscape is more complex than ever. Our multi-author roundtable chaired by @laurensukin.bsky.social and @rohanmukherjee.bsky.social explores the evolving challenges, from Asia to Europe and the Middle East. 🌍⚛️
tnsr.org/roundtable/n...
"The Evolving Global Landscape of Nuclear Security" by Lauren Sukin and Rohan Mukherjee
How are alliances like AUKUS and cooperation between Russia, China, and North Korea reshaping the nuclear order? @laurensukin.bsky.social and @rohanmukherjee.bsky.social introduce the essays and explore the effects of domestic politics and global competition.
📖 Read here: tnsr.org/roundtable/n...
The work builds on a recent article we published in Contemporary Security Policy on U.S. approaches to ally vs. partner relationships in the Indo-Pacific. Check out that research here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
In this article, we argue that members of Congress, state governments, and American industry all have a role to play in strengthening and solidifying these critical relationships.
Unlike its approach to European allies, which has been largely cold and critical, the Trump administration has emphasised the threat from China and importance of alliance commitments in containing it. At the same time, many of the key points of collaboration that make alliances strong are weakening.
At War on the Rocks, Gregory Winger, @drmagomez.bsky.social, and I show that, while the Trump administration has been supportive of U.S. Indo-Pacific partners in rhetoric, it has been neglectful of the personnel and mechanisms that sustain alliances.
warontherocks.com/2025/09/wash...
Please let me know of anything suspicious you may encounter, so I can work with investigators to assess the threat.
If you are contacted by someone claiming to be me, please exercise caution. Do not open attachments, click links, or scan QR codes until you verify that you are actually speaking with me. I recommend contacting me on a second known account.
WARNING: An email account—“lauren.sukin.dr@hotmail.com”—has been created by the North Korean group Kimsuky to impersonate me. Please delete any emails you receive from this account. While it will soon be closed down, they are likely to create alternates.
Now out open access in the Journal of Conflict Resolution. @laurensukin.bsky.social, @lanoszka.bsky.social, & I investigate US reassurance efforts in 2023 during Russia's war on Ukraine.
We conducted public opinion surveys in 24 countries on 6 continents.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
In a new article for the Journal of Conflict Resolution, CISAC affiliate @laurensukin.bsky.social & colleagues examine data from 24 countries finding early support for the US in the Russo-Ukrainian war came largely from approval of its restrained aid to Ukraine
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
As great power competition in the Indo-Pacific intensifies, U.S. commitments to regional partners is under scrutiny.
Our new article with @ghwinger.bsky.social & @laurensukin.bsky.social explores how the American public reacts to potential security crises. ⬇️
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
As the U.S. has increasingly relied on partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region, understanding the benefits and limitations of these arrangements is crucial.
Read our article here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
3.) Both the type and the quality of a relationship matter. Beyond the (in)formality of a state's relationship to the U.S., its economic, social, and military closeness also influence the public support it would receive in a crisis.
2.) The U.S. public is more likely to endorse sending support to treaty allies than to partners, but the relationship a state has with Washington has a smaller effect on whether the U.S. public would support retaliating against China on its behalf.
1.) The U.S. public is relatively conflict-averse, even in the face of significant great power rivalry. If China aggressed against a U.S. ally or partner, the U.S. public would be willing to offer friendly support, but would be reticent to retaliate.
As Washington turns the screws on trade policy and burden-sharing against even its closest allies, Gregory Winger, Miguel Alberto Gomez, and I have a new article out at Contemporary Security Policy on alliance dynamics and the willingness to aid partners during crises. Here are three key takeaways:
As the U.S. increasingly relies on partnerships in its Indo-Pacific strategy, understanding the benefits and limitations of these arrangements is crucial.
Read more here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.....
3.) Both the type and the quality of a relationship matter. Beyond the (in)formality of a state's relationship to the U.S., its economic, social, and military closeness also influence the public support it would receive in a crisis.
2.) The U.S. public is more likely to endorse sending support to treaty allies than to partners, but the relationship a state has with Washington has a smaller effect on whether the U.S. public would support retaliating against China on its behalf.