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Monti Datta

Monti Datta

Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Richmond
I am an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond. I teach classes on international relations, research methods, global governance, anti-Americanism & world opinion, and human rights & modern day slavery.

This year, I am delighted to teach a class on Human Rights and Modern Day Slavery.

My current book, with Cambridge University Press, focuses on the consequences of anti-Americanism. Whereas most scholars focus on the sources of anti-Americanism (e.g., Chiozza 2009, Markovits 2007, Keohane and Katzenstein 2007), very little scholarship focuses on its impact for the United States. My research attempts to fill that gap. Using data from the Pew Global Attitudes Project and the National Archives, I examine the relationship between cross-national variation in favorable opinion toward the U.S. and: (1) voting alignment with the U.S. within the United Nations General Assembly from 1985 to 2007; (2) global consumption of iconic U.S. brand-name products, in addition to cross-national purchases of U.S. securities from 1995 to 2007; and (3) political, financial, and troop support for the 2003 U.S.-led war in Iraq. I also examine the extent to which the global popularity of Barack Obama, i.e., "Obamamania" influences how states interact with the U.S. The results of this study not only contribute to an ongoing debate between realists and liberals regarding the extent to which public opinion is a useful predictor for a given state’s foreign policy, but also provide substantial policy implications for the U.S. national interest.

I am also working on several projects about human trafficking and modern slavery with Kevin Bales at the University of Nottingham's Rights Lab. Some of the questions we are exploring include:

What are the causes of modern slavery?
What lessons, if any, can we apply from the historic anti-slavery movement to today?
What are the consequenes of modern slavery?
How can we measure modern slavery, including forced labor, sex trafficking, domestic servitude, and family-controlled trafficking?

Global Geopolitics Series

What Iranians think of the US and their own government

Jan 18, 2020 11:59 am UTC| Insights & Views

After the Trump administration killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani with a drone strike on Jan. 3, anti-American protests in Iran subsequently spiked, with thousands mourning Soleimanis passing. As someone who...

3 countries where Trump is popular

Sep 17, 2019 17:24 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

President Donald Trump is one of the most controversial world leaders in modern times, igniting the ire of Americas staunchest allies. Whether its the proposed Muslim ban, the U.S. border wall and immigration, or his...

Sex trafficking in the US: 4 questions answered

Jul 10, 2019 03:09 am UTC| Insights & Views Life

The revelations about billionaire Jeffery Epstein, who is accused of sex trafficking girls, paint a grim picture of sex trafficking in the U.S. The buying and selling of human beings is strong in America more than 150...

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Economy

Why China’s economy has hit a wall

Chinas annual parliamentary meetings in Beijing came to a close on March 11. They were conducted under great pressure: a weak economy and high expectations from both the domestic public and international observers as to...

Vladimir Putin’s gold strategy explains why sanctions against Russia have failed

There are more than 16,000 sanctions imposed against Russia. Yet the Russian economy and war machine grew by 3.6 per cent in 2023 and is projected to grow another 2.6 in 2024. Nearly six per cent of Russias gross...

Mentorship is key to improving social and economic outcomes for Black youth

Black youth in Canada experience poorer educational achievement than other children and youth, which leads to subsequent poor economic outcomes. A series of problems and barriers contribute to poor educational outcomes....

There’s an extra $1 billion on the table for NT schools. This could change lives if spent well

The federal and Northern Territory governments have just made a historic funding announcement of about A$1 billion for schools in the territory. This includes an extra $737.7 million from the federal government and an...

Undersea cables for Africa’s internet retrace history and leave digital gaps as they connect continents

Large parts of west and central Africa, as well as some countries in the south of the continent, were left without internet services on 14 March because of failures on four of the fibre optic cables that run below the...

Politics

SpaceX Builds Spy Satellites for US; Russia Warns of Military Response

Russia has issued a stark warning to the United States, stating that the use of SpaceXs satellites for espionage could render them targets for military action. This follows revelations that SpaceX is constructing a spy...

Deepfakes are still new, but 2024 could be the year they have an impact on elections

Disinformation caught many people off guard during the 2016 Brexit referendum and US presidential election. Since then, a mini-industry has developed to analyse and counter it. Yet despite that, we have entered 2024 a...

Political donations rules are finally in the spotlight – here’s what the government should do

Australias political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its plan. Greater...

With nominations decided, Trump leads Biden in US polls

Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a majority of all delegates to their parties conventions, including delegates not yet...

Science

How do airplanes fly? An aerospace engineer explains the physics of flight

Airplane flight is one of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century. The invention of the airplane allows people to travel from one side of the planet to the other in less than a day, compared...

The mystery of consciousness shows there may be a limit to what science alone can achieve

The progress of science in the last 400 years is mind-blowing. Who would have thought wed be able to trace the history of our universe to its origins 14 billion years ago? Science has increased the length and the quality...

What is minoxidil, the anti-balding hair growth treatment? Here’s what the science says

Hair loss (also known as alopecia) often affects the scalp but can occur anywhere on the body. Its very common and usually nothing to worry about; about half of Australian men show signs of visible baldness at age 50 and...

Our survey of the sky is uncovering the secrets of how planets are born

When we look out to the stars, it is typically not a yearning for the distant depths of outer space that drives us. When we are looking out there, we are truly looking back at ourselves. We try to understand our place in...

Archeoastronomy uses the rare times and places of previous total solar eclipses to help us measure history

Total solar eclipses have fascinated and terrified people for centuries. Today, we know that total solar eclipses like the upcoming eclipse on April 8 are caused by a cosmic coincidence when the moon comes between the...

Technology

Shiba Inu's Burn Rate Soars by 1,200%, BTC Eyes $80K Pre-Halving Rally

The Shiba Inu community witnesses a staggering 1,200% spike in its burn rate, fueling optimism for a bullish rally, while experts predict Bitcoin (BTC) will approach $80,000 ahead of its next halving. Shiba Inus Burn...

Take-Two Interactive Buys Gearbox Entertainment Company From Embracer

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. announced it is acquiring Gearbox Entertainment, which the Embracer Group is slashing from its portfolio. The New York-based video game holding firm said the deal is valued at $460...

Xiaomi Revs Up: SU7 Unveiled, Set to Outpace Tesla, BYD with Sub-500K Yuan Price Tag

As Xiaomi ventures into electric vehicles, it positions itself in Chinas competitive EV sector, focusing on pricing and market disruption. The debut of its first electric vehicle, the SU7, marks a significant move after...

Ferrari, SK On Join Forces to Develop Next-Generation Supercar Batteries

Ferrari NV, an Italian luxury sports car maker, has teamed up with SK On, a South Korean electric vehicle battery manufacturer, to produce next-generation batteries. The partners will work on producing eco-friendly...
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