Beyond Group-threat: Temporal Dynamics of International Migration and Linkages to Anti-foreigner Sentiment

Abstract

Prior research on the association between country-level patterns of international migration and anti-foreigner sentiment shows that larger foreign-born concentrations increase perceptions of threat among native-born individuals in receiving countries, which, in turn, give rise to exclusionary preferences. While recent work has assembled a list of limiting conditions that shape the strength of this association, I argue that these efforts are premature because they are based on a narrow way of conceptualising and measuring international migration. In contrast to concepts and measures privileging the size of the foreign-born population in receiving countries, I draw from other literatures highlighting the temporal dynamics of migration. In considering the role of the temporal dynamics of international migration in explaining variation in anti-foreigner sentiment, the question is whether and how the temporal stability of the foreign-born population in receiving countries matters. My results suggest that it does. The size and temporal stability of the foreign-born population play opposing roles in aggravating and ameliorating anti-foreigner sentiment, respectively, with each operating via different pathways at the individual level. My work thus breaks new ground by challenging existing theoretical constructs and operationalisations in the group-threat literature.

Migration from New-Accession Countries and Duration Expectancy in the EU-15: 2002–2008

“…With sufficient data, estimates of duration expectancy could be derived for places within EU-15 countries, as well as for other countries and places therein outside of Europe. With respect to policy and related implications, following previous work by DeWaard (2013, 2015), estimates of duration expectancy can potentially be used to assess countries’ long-term residence policies, e.g., as scored in the Migrant Integration Policy Index (Geddes et al 2005; Huddleston et al 2011; Niessen et al 2007), and as predictors in explanatory models of anti-immigrant sentiment and other outcomes.…”

Contextual factors and prejudice at the beginning of the migrant influx: The Moroccan case in Seville, Spain

“…However, research studies grouped under the theoretical approach “contact theory” play down this point of view. Their findings reveal that a stronger immigrant presence increases the chances of coming into contact with the local population, which in the long term would help reduce prejudice towards this immigrant population and likely improve coexistence (DeWaard, ; Hjerm, ; Pettigrew et al, ; Pettigrew & Tropp, ). These studies show that aspects like greater contact with the out‐group and an immigrant's length of stay in the receiving society may reduce the occurrence of prejudice and help bring about more receptive attitudes towards immigrants (DeWaard, ).…”

Subjetividad socioespacial y gestión de la diversidad en las principales ciudades españolas. Lo que los índices de segregación no pueden reflejar

“…Sin embargo las investigaciones que relativizan este punto de vista, consideran que la mayor presencia de población extranjera concentrada en una comunidad o barrio aumenta las posibilidades de contacto con la población autóctona lo que a la larga favorecería la reducción de los prejuicios hacia esta población y mejoraría la convivencia (Pettigrew y Tropp, 2006;Pettigrew, Wagner y Crist, 2010;Barlow et al, 2012;Dewaard, 2015). Estas investigaciones, agrupadas dentro de las teorías del contacto (Kaufmann y Harris, 2015), muestran que aspectos como el mayor contacto con la población extranjera (Pettigrew, Wagner y Crist, 2010;Echazarra, 2014), o el tiempo de permanencia del extranjero en la sociedad de acogida pueden reducir la aparición de prejuicios y rechazo y ayudar a la aparición de actitudes más receptivas hacia la población extranjera (Sampson y Groves, 1989;Dewaard, 2015).…”

“…Estas investigaciones, agrupadas dentro de las teorías del contacto (Kaufmann y Harris, 2015), muestran que aspectos como el mayor contacto con la población extranjera (Pettigrew, Wagner y Crist, 2010;Echazarra, 2014), o el tiempo de permanencia del extranjero en la sociedad de acogida pueden reducir la aparición de prejuicios y rechazo y ayudar a la aparición de actitudes más receptivas hacia la población extranjera (Sampson y Groves, 1989;Dewaard, 2015).…”