Champions and Pariahs: Image Effects of Naming and Shaming

How does international criticism shape attitudes toward foreign governments? Theories regarding 'naming and shaming' often assume that human rights criticism impacts reputations, yet prior research has focused mainly on the effects of shaming on the targeted countries, rather than global audiences. Using a U.S.-based survey experiment, my study examines how audiences in a third country (Country C) react when one country (Country A) criticizes another (Country B) for human rights violations. I find that shaming damaged the target's reputation and enhances the shamer's image, with these effects moderated by the relationship between the third-party and the countries involved. Additionally, shaming slightly strengthens support for the condemned international norm. Overall, these findings highlight how shaming influences global perception of both the violator and the accuser, shedding light on governments' incentives to shame and comply with international norms.