Building Bridges? Intergroup Contact, Power Status, and Coexistence in Jordan

• In Event: Local Governance, Service Provision and Social Cohesion in the Arab World

Abstract

How does social contact under unequal power status shape native-refugee relations? Equal power status is considered crucial for intergroup contact to unlock tolerance, yet everyday interactions between minorities and majorities rarely achieve such parity. Very few studies of contact focus on interactions between refugees and members of host communities – especially in the Global South, where most of these interactions take place. Moreover, many studies tend to focus on the views of the host population toward immigrant integration, rather than considering both sides. This study overcomes these limitations by experimentally testing the effects of unequal power status on relations between Syrian refugees and native Jordanians in a segregated and economically tense setting. We achieve this by randomly assigning focus groups to be led and dominated by Jordanians, or led by a mixed pair of moderators with equal numbers of Syrian and Jordanian participants. In doing so, we shed light on how power disparities shape tolerance, trust, and coexistence in divided societies.

Authors

• Salma Mousa, Stanford University

• Kristen Kao, University of Gothenburg