Experience with Political Violence and Support for Refugees

• In Event: Attitudinal Responses to Violence

Abstract

How does the experience of political violence by members of the host community influence attitudes towards refugees? This paper tests a long-standing argument that experience with a traumatic event like civil war can lead to pro-social behavior. Using original data from post-conflict Northern Uganda, I examine how past experience with political violence in the region  shapes preferences for refugees. To answer my research question, I model different reasons for migration which enables me to measure preference and support for refugees based on the similarity between the experiences of the respondent and that of the refugee. In examining how experience with political violence shapes preferences, I contribute to the literature on refugees and the overlooked dimension of it in the Global South. Moreover, I contribute to extant scholarship on the legacy of political violence in post conflict communities.

Author

• Scovia Aweko, Purdue University