When nationalism yields
Nationalist boycotts have been increasingly common in international relations. Most recently, US tariffs under the Trump administration have prompted boycotts against American goods in European countries such as Denmark and Sweden as well as in Canada. How resilient is nationalism behind these boycotts when faced with competing incentives? While nationalism is often portrayed as an unyielding force, this article demonstrates in the context of nationalist boycotts that individuals are willing to compromise their nationalism. We claim that individuals are far less willing to participate in nationalist boycotts when targeted firms adopt active counter-boycott strategies, such as sales promotion and social contribution messaging. Through a survey experiment conducted in South Korea in the context of South Korean boycotts against Japanese products in 2019, we show how individuals set aside their nationalist stance in response to counter-boycott strategies. The findings of this article provide new insights into the dynamics of economic nationalism and contribute to our understanding of how nationalist boycotts dissipate and have limited impacts on international trade.