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Immigration, anti-immigrant attitudes and Eurosceptism: a meta-analysis

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Abstract

Particularly in the aftermath of the refugee crisis, the relationship between immigration and anti-immigrant sentiment and Euroscepticism has become salient in public discourse in European Union member states. The scientific literature has also devoted increasing attention to these relationships over the past dozen years. In this short research note, we synthesise recent research examining the immigration (attitudes)-Euroscepticism nexus. We find (1) that negative attitudes toward immigration generally trigger higher levels of Euroscepticism and (2) that this relationship does not apply to structural data on immigration. In most cases, higher immigration levels do not trigger more negative attitudes toward European integration. In light of the European refugee crisis, substantial further research could emerge on these issues.

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Notes

  1. The articles included in our analysis are Balestrini (2011), Barbulescu and Beaudonnet (2014), Boomgaarden and Vliegenthart (2009), Boomgaarden et al. (2011), De Vreese and Boomgaarden (2005), De Vreese and Boomgaarden (2006), Domanov (2013), van Elsas et al. (2016), Garry and Tilley (2009), Goodwin and Heath (2016), Hobolt et al (2011), Kuhn (2011, 2012), Lubbers (2008), Lubbers and Scheepers (2007), Luedtke (2005), Tillman (2013), Toshkov and Kortenska (2015), Vasilopoulou (2016), Yavçan (2013) and van Klingeren et al (2013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

    Daniel Stockemer

  2. Department of Political Science, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany

    Arne Niemann, Johannes Rabenschlag, Johanna Speyer & Doris Unger

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  1. Daniel Stockemer
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  2. Arne Niemann
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Correspondence to Daniel Stockemer.

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Stockemer, D., Niemann, A., Rabenschlag, J. et al. Immigration, anti-immigrant attitudes and Eurosceptism: a meta-analysis. Fr Polit 16, 328–340 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41253-018-0065-x

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