16.06.2016

Big cities have greater tolerance of migrants

University of Tübingen study shows xenophobia spreads most in places there are fewest migrants

Never before have so many migrants arrived in the Federal Republic of Germany as did last year. Should we therefore expect a rise in xenophobia – or is the population overall getting used to increased ethnic diversity? A new study by University of Tübingen sociologist Hannes Weber has arrived at what seems to be a paradox: On the one hand, xenophbia rises and far-right parties receive greater support in times of high immigration. But strangely – this usually happens in the parts of the country where there are few migrants.

Weber evaluated statistics and questionnaires in Germany and compared them with those of other European countries. His findings have been published in the Berliner Journal für Soziologie (online first): <link http: link.springer.com article s11609-016-0300-8>link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11609-016-0300-8

Weber found that the fears that migrants would take jobs and bring crime were greatest in German districts with the lowest proportion of migrants. In cities with a high proportion of migrants, the locals are on average much more relaxed about it. And that was the case even when Weber adjusted for the fact that of the respondents in cities, more are likely to have foreign roots themselves, more are likely to have a degree and that more of them are likely to be high earners – all groups which may be more open to the idea of immigration, Weber says.

He says the findings indicate that people in more ethnically diverse cities and districts have become used to the presence of more recent arrivals with different backgrounds. Weber added that personal contacts – for instance, at work or in clubs and societies – influence people’s ideas about “foreigners.” By contrast, he says, people who see few migrants in their everyday lives felt threatened – even as the media give wide coverage to the issue of immigration.

Yet simple proximity to migrants has its limitations when it comes to combatting xenophobia, Weber found. He says that a careful examination of city areas shows a different picture from that yielded by comparing regions. “For example, in a comparison of Stuttgart districts with high and low proportions of migrant residents, a disproportionately high number of Germans have moved out of the former over the past 15 years. Those who remained more frequently voted for the right-wing AfD party in the regional parliamentary election.” A high proportion of migrants may not be the only reason why middle class families avoid such districts, says Weber. But overall, he found that within cities, the inhabitants of more affluent suburbs, in which migrants make up a low to moderate proportion of the population, tended to be tolerant towards new arrivals. “That suggests that people are particularly positive about migration when it is visible in everyday life but is not so present in their immediate neighborhood.”

For his study, Weber included the latest available data - such as the regional election in Baden-Württemberg in March 2016. But much of his data originated before the 2015 wave of refugee arrivals. So it is still hard to say for sure what effect the current flow of refugees is having on attitudes.

Publication:

Weber, H. (2016): „Mehr Zuwanderer, mehr Fremdenangst? Ein Überblick über den Forschungsstand und ein Erklärungsversuch aktueller Entwicklungen in Deutschland“, in: Berliner Journal für Soziologie (online first): <link http: link.springer.com article s11609-016-0300-8>link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11609-016-0300-8

Contact:

Dr. Hannes Weber
Universität Tübingen
Institut für Soziologie
Telefon: +49 7071 29-77456
<link>hannes.weber[at]uni-tuebingen.de

Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen

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Dr. Karl Guido Rijkhoek

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Antje Karbe

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