A cross-national examination of prejudice toward immigrants: the role of education and political ideology

Abstract

Purpose

More than ever before, people from around the world are migrating away from their country of birth. Yet citizens of host countries do not always welcome these immigrants – instead, citizens sometimes express prejudice toward them. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence attitudes toward immigrants cross-nationally.

Design/methodology/approach

Secondary data from the International Social Survey Programme, which includes data from 30 countries across two time points, were analyzed.

Findings

Findings indicate that people with higher level of education tend to have more favorable attitudes toward immigrants, while those with more politically conservative leanings and those with a greater sense of national identity tend to hold more prejudicial attitudes toward immigrants. At the country/regional level, education is consistent in its relationship with more favorable attitudes. However, political conservatism is less consistent in predicting prejudice – the relationship is strong in western democracies, but is largely negligible in other parts of the world.

Originality/value

The present analyses carry implications for improving anti-immigrant prejudice throughout the world.

Citation

Erhart, R. (2016), "A cross-national examination of prejudice toward immigrants: the role of education and political ideology", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 279-289. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-02-2016-0212