Measuring the fear of immigrants

In many European countries there are negative attitudes towards immigrants, which may be due to fear. Now a team of researchers have developed a tool to measure xenophobia.

A group of people sleeping on the floor.

African immigrants waiting to get into France. Photo illustration: Colourbox

The demographic changes caused by global migration tend to be followed by an upswing of negative attitudes toward newcomers.

In Europe, populist political parties have thrived by opposing the waves of such incoming immigrants, from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and anti-immigration sentiments are a prominent issue in several Western European countries, and in other parts of the world.

But xenophobia is still an understudied phenomenon. We know little of its extent, how it develops, and how it’s best dealt with.

By Freelance journalist Isak Ladegaard
Published Feb. 17, 2012 9:00 AM - Last modified Mar. 25, 2024 3:59 PM