Professor Eshbaugh-Soha Career Highlights and Research

My research that intersects with peace studies and human security concerns presidential use of force and immigration.

Concerning presidential use of force, I have published two relevant pieces.

• Breaking through the Noise (Standford University Press) examines the interplay between the president, media, and public on US Iraq policy. Among other findings, presidents respond to public concern about Iraq by delivering national addresses, which suggests that the public can play a significant role in checking the president's authority as Commander in Chief.

• The positive or negative tone of presidential rhetoric on Iraq has no direct impact on public opinion. Instead, it is the tone of news coverage of the Iraq War that has the greatest effect on the public's support for it. In this way, news coverage critical of presidential war can motivate the public to also oppose it.

The quality of immigration policy relates to myriad questions concerning human security. My more recent research agenda explores the politics of immigration, particularly the amount, shape, and tone of presidential rhetoric on immigration policy.

• Building upon an initial analysis published in American Politics Research (2002), The Presidency and Immigration Policy (Routledge) presents a comprehensive analysis of what explains the frequency and tone of the president's immigration rhetoric, and whether the president's immigration policy agenda can influence the news media, public, and Congress.

• We demonstrate that public concern is key to increasing public attention to immigration policy and conclude that the congressional environment must be favorable to immigration reform, regardless of the president's rhetoric, to mitigate one of the most important US human security issues of the last 25 years.

My current research agenda answers two additional questions about the presidency and the politics of immigration.

• What motivates presidents to speak more optimistically about immigration?

• Is presidential rhetoric instrumental in shaping the punitive nature of the president's immigration executive orders?