Which Liberal Refugee Policies Elicit Backlash from Voters? Evidence from Kenya

• In Event: Policies and Attitudes towards Refugees in the Global South

Abstract

In countries that host refugees, which liberal refugee policies elicit backlash from voters? Most existing research argues that voters punish politicians who are more welcoming to refugees due to economic and socio-economic concerns. However, because policies towards refugees are multi-dimensional, different dimensions of refugee policy could elicit different responses from voters. For instance, voters may punish politicians who give refugees the right to own property but be ambivalent towards refugees’ right to access the labor market. I propose a conjoint experiment in Kenya to examine whether and which liberal policies cause electoral backlash, as well as how voters weigh candidates’ policies on refugees in comparison to other issues.

Author

• Jori Breslawski, Tel Aviv University