Factors and Actors Contributing to the Willingness to Defend One’s Own Country: the Case of Latvia, Lithuania and Taiwan

The project aims to uncover, analyse and compare factors and actors contributing to willingness to defend one’s own country in Latvia, Lithuania and Taiwan, and thereby to extend the current universal toolkits and hypotheses in assessing the willingness. Based on a review of theoretical literature, previous research, dedicated nationally representative public surveys, interviews, an experiment and comparison to other cases, the project will provide policy-oriented proposals for increasing the willingness level, and will contribute to the scientific literature in the field by extending the current toolkits and hypotheses in assessing the willingness. In practical terms, the project will deliver three scientific peer-review articles, a book and two public discussions, altogether reinforced by proactive public outreach. No less importantly, the project will advance the scientific cooperation and exchange between the Baltic states and Taiwan in social sciences. Given the surrounding geopolitical grievances in both regions, the project has a fair potential to raise the public recognition of the issue and also Baltic-Taiwanese cooperation.