The Effect of Terrorism on Attitudes Toward Ingroup and Outgroup Immigration

• In Event: Crimmigration and the New Era of Enforcement

Abstract

Fueled by population imbalances, natural disasters, economic trends, and the potential for a better life, immigration has cemented itself as a driving force for social change throughout history. A perplexing issue regarding immigration that remains unresolved is the almost reflexive contempt that many natives hold for immigrants who are notably different from themselves. Prior research reports that enhanced competition in the job market, the potential for cultural conflicts, and general security concerns are salient in predicting native population discontent for immigrants. However, the threat posed by the specter of terrorism has been overlooked. This study analyzes multilevel data derived from 20 mostly European countries to examine whether the number of terrorism incidents a country experiences influences citizens' attitudes toward ingroup and outgroup immigration. Nonlinear hierarchical modeling results show that acts of terrorism are associated with a substantive decrease in the desire for outgroup immigration. No effect of terrorism on ingroup immigration is noted. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Author

• Erik Cruz, Florida International University