Accept Refugees from Enemy States: Evidence from Survey Experiments

• In Event: Forced Displacement, Wartime Refugees, and Integration

Abstract

Why do states accept refugees from enemy states? One reason why such refugees may confront discriminatory reactions from the host state public is the out-group bias against them. Using original data generated by both vignette and conjoint experiments conducted in Japan, the most-likely case where the public tends to be reluctant to support accepting refugees, we examine why the public does not exhibit out-group bias against potential refugee arrivals from the rival nations. In the experiments, we tested the following explanations: “common identity" to have the same enemy, “reputation" for respect for human rights, and “undermining" the legitimacy of the enemy, with the case of the arrivals of Chinese asylum seekers. The findings have implications for the literature on public attitudes toward migrants and seek to connect the literature on immigration and foreign policies.

Author

• Masanori Kikuchi, Waseda University