Are anti-Muslim feelings more widespread than anti-foreigner feelings? Evidence from two split-sample experiments

Abstract

This article tests the claim that anti-Muslim feelings are more widespread than general anti-foreigner feelings. It reports on two split sample experiments, in which a randomly selected part of the respondents evaluated statements for which the target group was identified as 'foreigners' and the other part evaluated the identical statements but with the target group identified as 'Muslims'. By using open-ended questions we are able to separate those respondents who had Muslims in mind when asked about foreigners from those who did not. We find that anti-Muslim feelings are more intense than anti-foreigner feelings along a wide range of attitude dimensions. Furthermore, those respondents who had Muslims in mind while judging statements about foreigners, turned out to be at least as hostile as those who were asked explicitly about Muslims.

The place of ‘race’ in understanding immigration control and the detention of foreign nationals

“…One major research study (Moore et al, 2008) found that media portrayals of Islam as 'dangerous, backward or irrational' and as being 'in opposition to dominant British values' were very common, while coverage of attacks on, or problems facing, Muslims had steadily declined. Such findings are supported by studies of public perceptions of Muslims across western countries (Dunn et al, 2007;Spruyt and Elchardus, 2012; see also Allen, 2010a). Allen (2010b) discusses how Barker's (1981) original discussion of 'new racism' referred to the shift away from biological markers as the basis for discriminatory processes, and he notes that:…”

“…In particular, I try to articulate an understanding of racism that is sufficiently complex to be responsive to contemporary realities, without losing the important insights of writers such as Frantz Fanon (1967aFanon ( , 1967b on the consequences of colonial domination. A fuller understanding of race, migration control and immigration detention must also include consideration of colonialism as well as class and marginalized white ethnicity (Earle, 2014;Fekete, 2009;Phillips, 2008;Webster, 2008), the intersections between immigration control and Muslim identity (Allen, 2010a(Allen, , 2010bBravo López, 2011;Spruyt and Elchardus, 2012) and the gendered nature of immigration control (Hales and Gelsthorpe, 2012;Smith and Marmo, 2011). I examine each of these issues below.…”

Who's Welcome and Who's Not? Opposition towards Immigration in the Nordic Countries, 2002–2014

“…Ford (2011) finds an 'ethnic hierarchy' in British immigration attitudes, with people being much less positive towards non-white compared to white immigration. Other studies show that people in Europe are generally more prone to oppose immigration from Muslim countries compared to immigration from other parts of the world (Strabac & Listhaug 2008;Spruyt & Elchardus 2012). Also, they prefer high-skilled over low-skilled immigrants (Hainmueller & Hiscox 2007), which according to Helbling and Kriesi (2014) can be traced to welfare concerns and beliefs about work ethic.…”

Secular Tolerance? Anti‐Muslim Sentiment in Western Europe

“…First, almost all larger immigrant minorities in Western Europe have a Muslim background (except for Indian people in Great Britain). When people are asked to think of immigrants, they tend to think about Muslims most of the time (Spruyt and Elchardus ; see also Strabac and Listhaug ). And several studies have shown that anti‐Muslim sentiment is closely related to other types of prejudice, like ethnocentrism (Van Bohemen et al.…”