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Attitudes Towards Immigration: Does Economic Self-Interest Matter?

Author

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  • Malchow-Møller, Nikolaj

    (University of Southern Denmark)

  • Munch, Jakob R.

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Schroll, Sanne

    (University of Southern Denmark)

  • Skaksen, Jan Rose

    (Rockwool Foundation Research Unit)

Abstract

In this paper, we re-examine the role of economic self-interest in shaping people’s attitudes towards immigration, using data from the European Social Survey 2002/2003. Compared to the existing literature, there are two main contributions of the present paper. First, we develop a more powerful test of the hypothesis that a positive relationship between education and attitudes towards immigration reflects economic self-interest in the labour market. Second, we develop an alternative and more direct test of whether economic self-interest matters for people’s attitudes towards immigration. We find that while the "original" relationship between education and attitudes found in the literature is unlikely to reflect economic self-interest, there is considerable evidence of economic self-interest when using the more direct test.

Suggested Citation

  • Malchow-Møller, Nikolaj & Munch, Jakob R. & Schroll, Sanne & Skaksen, Jan Rose, 2006. "Attitudes Towards Immigration: Does Economic Self-Interest Matter?," IZA Discussion Papers 2283, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2283
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christian Dustmann & Ian Preston, 2006. "Is Immigration Good or Bad for the Economy? Analysis of Attitudinal Responses," Research in Labor Economics, in: The Economics of Immigration and Social Diversity, pages 3-34, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    2. Mayda, Anna Maria, 2005. "Who is Against Immigration? A Cross-Country Investigation of Individual Attitudes Towards Immigration," CEPR Discussion Papers 5055, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Facchini, Giovanni & Mayda, Anna Maria, 2006. "Individual Attitudes towards Immigrants: Welfare-State Determinants Across Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 2127, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Dustmann Christian & Preston Ian P, 2007. "Racial and Economic Factors in Attitudes to Immigration," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 7(1), pages 1-41, November.
    5. Anna Maria Mayda, 2006. "Who Is Against Immigration? A Cross-Country Investigation of Individual Attitudes toward Immigrants," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 88(3), pages 510-530, August.
    6. Hainmueller, Jens & Hiscox, Michael J., 2007. "Educated Preferences: Explaining Attitudes Toward Immigration in Europe," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 61(2), pages 399-442, April.
    7. David Card & Christian Dustmann & Ian Preston, 2005. "Understanding attitudes to immigration: The migration and minority module of the first European Social Survey," RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series 0503, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) - Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
    8. Kenneth F. Scheve & Matthew J. Slaughter, 2001. "Labor Market Competition And Individual Preferences Over Immigration Policy," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(1), pages 133-145, February.
    9. Per Krusell & Lee E. Ohanian & JosÈ-Victor RÌos-Rull & Giovanni L. Violante, 2000. "Capital-Skill Complementarity and Inequality: A Macroeconomic Analysis," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 68(5), pages 1029-1054, September.
    10. Tito Boeri & Herbert Brücker, 2005. "Why are Europeans so tough on migrants? [‘What a difference a constant makes: how predictable are international migration flows?’ in OECD]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 20(44), pages 630-703.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nikolaj Malchow-Møller & Jakob Munch & Sanne Schroll & Jan Skaksen, 2009. "Explaining Cross-Country Differences in Attitudes Towards Immigration in the EU-15," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 91(3), pages 371-390, May.
    2. Chi-Chur Chao & Bharat R. Hazari & Jean-Pierre Laffargue, 2008. "A simple theory of the optimal number of immigrants," Working Papers halshs-00586821, HAL.
    3. Tremewan, James, 2009. "Beliefs about the Economic Impact of Immigration," TSE Working Papers 09-019, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    4. Tiiu Paas & Olga Demidova, 2014. "What Explains People’S Attitudes Towards Immigrants? A Comparative Study Of Estonia And Russia," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 94, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    5. Peder J. Pedersen, 2011. "Social and Labor Market Integration of Ethnic Minorities in Denmark," Chapters, in: Martin Kahanec & Klaus F. Zimmermann (ed.), Ethnic Diversity in European Labor Markets, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Tiiu PAAS & Olga DEMIDOVA, 2014. "How people perceive immigrants’ role in their country’s life: a comparative study of Estonia and Russia," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 5, pages 117-138, December.
    7. Malchow-Møller, Nikolaj & Munch, Jakob Roland & Schroll, Sanne & Skaksen, Jan Rose, 2008. "Attitudes towards immigration--Perceived consequences and economic self-interest," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 254-257, August.
    8. VALENTOVA Marie & ALIEVA Aigul, 2010. "Immigration as a Threat: The Effect of Gender Differences Among Luxembourg Residents with and without a Migration History," LISER Working Paper Series 2010-21, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    9. Demidova, Olga, 2012. "The European residents' attitude towards immigrants: A comparative analysis based on the ESS data," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 28(4), pages 23-34.
    10. VALENTOVA Marie & BERZOSA Guayarmina, 2010. "Attitudes toward immigrants in Luxembourg - Do contacts matter?," LISER Working Paper Series 2010-20, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic self-interest; immigration; attitudes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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