Do Attitudes to Immigrants Change in Hard Times? Ireland in a European Context

Abstract

The enlargement of the European Union and the subsequent global economic recession has drawn attention to individual-level attitudes towards immigrants across Europe. In this context, using the European Social Survey we compared Irish attitudes towards immigrants with those in twelve other European countries at three critical moments in timeprior to large immigration flows in 2002; at the height of the economic boom in 2006; and after the global financial crash in 2008. Our analysis examines whether significant changes in attitudes towards immigrants has occurred in the Europe Union as a whole and within individual countries over time. We predicted that fluctuations in economic condition such as the rise in unemployment would affect attitudes towards immigrants. This relationship receives some support from our findings. In Ireland, positive attitudes to immigrants between 2006 and 2010 decreased and negative attitudes increased, on all attitudinal measures, more sharply than in any of the other European countries. Taking the twelve countries as a whole, attitudes have tended to polarise particularly with regard to allowing access to immigrants and their impact on the economy. This research reveals worrying trends in attitudes to immigrants in European countries, particularly in light of the importance of immigrants to the European labour market, both currently and in the future.

The impact of the financial crisis on European attitudes toward immigration

“…Gijsberts, Scheepers, and Coenders (2004) focused on nationalism and exclusion of migrants in 22 European countries. Turner and Cross's (2015) observed changing ethnic attitudes in Ireland during recession. This study compares Ireland with 12 European countries, and investigates variations between countries in view of economic fluctuations.…”

The Willingness to Employ Immigrants in Polish Organizations

“…Also considering that also the history of inward immigration may be affecting attitudes towards migration, especially in times of economic crises, as shown on the example of Greece, Spain and Portugal (Turner & Cross, 2015) further research should include additional mediating variables.…”

“…As determined by Hayes & Dowds (2006), also in the United Kingdom people with higher economic status expressed generally more pro-immigrant attitudes. As determined by Turner & Cross (2015) in a Europe-wide analysis, the economic factor is the most important one, when explaining shifts in attitudes towards immigration. Assuming that organisations willing to employ immigrants do it due to their expected profit (economic self-interest) we adopted the following hypothesis:…”

Immigration, Asylum, and Gender: Ireland and Beyond

“…Ireland is a particularly interesting case study, given its attractiveness to immigrants and its shifting economic fortunes since the early 2000s. ESS has already been invoked to describe Irish attitudes to immigration in comparative and intertemporal contexts (Hughes et al 2007;McGinnity et al 2013;Turner and Cross 2015). Ó Gráda (2014, 2016), using Rounds 1 to 7 of the ESS, examine Irish attitudes to immigration before (Rounds 1 and 2), during (Rounds 3 and 4), and after the downturn of 2007-08 (Rounds 5 to 7).…”