Explaining Cross-National Variations in Public Support for the Principle of Collective Defence across NATO Member States
Contact: Isabelle.haynes@fsv.cuni.cz
Isabelle Haynes is a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague. She is supervised by Dr. Michal Smetana, and her dissertation, Explaining Cross-National Variations in Public Support for the Principle of Collective Defence across NATO Member States, examines the factors shaping public willingness to defend allied states.
Her research forms part of the European Research Council (ERC)-funded MICROCODE project, which investigates the micro-foundations of collective defence. Focusing on both cross-national variation and public attitudes towards alliance commitments, Isabelle employs a mixed-methods research design combining surveys, case studies, focus groups, and elite interviews.
Her current fieldwork focuses on Finland, Norway, and Iceland in the Nordic region, and Albania and Kosovo in the Balkans. By exploring how citizens understand and evaluate collective defence obligations across different political and security contexts, her research seeks to advance scholarship on public opinion, alliance politics, and defence attitudes. The project contributes to contemporary debates on the credibility and resilience of security alliances at a time when collective defence commitments have become increasingly central to international politics.
CV
EDUCATION
2025 – present: PhD. International Security, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University
- Selected for the ERC-project MICRCODE (2025-2029)
- Recipient of GAUK funding and lead PI for a 3-year research project (2026-2029)
2023 – 2024: M.Sc. Migration Studies, Linacre College, University of Oxford
2021 – 2023: M.Phil. International Relations, St Cross College, University of Oxford
2018 – 2021: B.A.Hons Classical Archaeology and Classical Civilisations, University College London | First Class
- Awarded the Norah Moloney Prize for Archaeological Fieldwork
- Roman Archaeology, British School of Rome: Selected as one of 10 students in the UK for a study of ancient Rome with leading academics. (Sept 2020)
July 2020: Human Security course, Sciences Politiques, Paris
- Mention Très Bien (Distinction)
Fall 2017: Spanish and History of Spain, Universidad de Salamanca, Spain.
- B2+ | Sobresaliente (Distinction)
EXPERIENCE
2025 – ongoing: Junior Researcher, Peace Research Centre Prague
Sept 2024 – July 2025: Research Analyst, Department of Statistics, UN Tourism
- Developing the first global, standardised ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses.
Summer 2024: Research Analyst, Defence Futures, Ministry of Defence
- Conducted assessments of UK Armed Forces’ war preparedness and analysed UK public attitudes on collective defence.
Dec 2023 – June 2024: Fellow, Oxford SDG Impact lab
- Led the development of the first ESG strategy for Oxford City Football Club.
Sept 2023 – Current: Research Assistant, Nuffield CESS lab
- Designed a participant outreach strategy, increasing diversity within experimental research pools, and conducted research on socio-political and economic decision-making.
Feb 2020 – Sept 2023: JUO at the Oxford University Officer Training Corps
- Ranked 6th in Women’s Epée at the British Army and the UK Armed Forces Fencing Championships.
- Passed the Army Officer Selection Board.
Summer 2022: Operations Intern at Beamery, London Office
- Co-led the B-Corp certification initiative supporting the company’s sustainability goals through research and policy.
Feb 2020 – Sept 2019: Head of Public Relations, and Recruitment, University of London Royal Naval Unit
- Increased applicant numbers by over 40%, ethnic diversity by 150% and course diversity by 80% through leading recruitment.
Sept 2020–June 2020: Digital Fieldwork Student Representative, Institute of Archaeology, UCL
- Led the digital fieldwork project evaluation and coordinated projects between students and academics to improve project outcomes.
Sept 2020–June 2020: Research Assistant, Institute of Archaeology, UCL
- Recorded, explored, and interrogated materials for 8 Libyan archaeological sites at risk from the ongoing conflict in Libya since 2011 for the Mapping Roman Libya Project.
PUBLICATIONS
Preprint: Retrenchment Signaling and the Erosion of NATO Credibility under Trump 2.0. Available here.
Preprint: Does Public Opinion Shape Elite Support for Defending Allies? Evidence on the Microfoundations of Collective Defense from the British Parliament. Available here.
CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS
| July 2026 | Author’s Workshop, for special issue for the Journal of Contemporary Security Policy, University of Vilnius
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| June 2026
June 2026 |
ERC-project Workshop, All Souls’ College, University of Oxford
European Security Studies Conference, European Initiative for Security Studies, University of Stockholm
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| April 2026 | UK Deterrence Alliance Conference, King’s College London |