Different understandings of welfare benefits among the Dutch public: A focus group study

Abstract

Numerous studies have assessed the extent to which citizens support or oppose welfare benefits (shorthand: benefits). To properly understand this support or opposition, it is important to consider what benefits actually mean to citizens. Indeed, because citizens' understandings of benefits are likely to vary, there may be similar (different) levels of support for very different (similar) reasons. Consequently, in-depth insights into these understandings are required to properly grasp public attitudes on welfare benefits. Therefore, this study adopts an inductive approach, holding focus-group discussions with Dutch citizens with different social backgrounds (48 respondents/11 gatherings). Three distinct discourses were identified: (1) benefits as selfresponsibility and reciprocity; (2) benefits as participation and solidarity; and (3) benefits as well-being and self-actualization. These diverging discourses each involve closely intertwined understandings of the function of benefits, their relationship to work and welfare deservingness. We discuss the relevance of our findings and make suggestions for future research.

What do stances on immigrants' welfare entitlement mean? Evidence from a correlational class analysis

“…Inspired by findings from a recent in-depth qualitative study (Lindner et al, 2022), our research is the first to explore whether the wider public attributes different meanings to similar stances on immigrants' entitlement to welfare. This Our analyses revealed five belief systems regarding immigrants' entitlement to welfare, each including both people who oppose as well as embrace it.…”

“…A recent in-depth focus-group study of almost 50 Dutch citizens from a wide variety of social backgrounds (Lindner et al, 2022) indeed identified meaningful variations in their expressions of welfare chauvinism. For example, some supported restrictions based on xenophobia (a demographic shift threatens natives), while the views of others had a more economic basis (immigrants put a strain on collective resources).…”

“…Most of these items are based on the extant literature. Recent qualitative fieldwork (Lindner et al, 2022) informed the items not retrieved from previous studies. Table SI, which is provided as Supporting Information S1, provides an overview.…”

Help-Seeking Behaviors and Mental Well-Being of Albanian Immigrants in Malaysia

“…For most individuals, stigmatization is one of the barriers to seeking help for mental health issues among sufferers in the community. Lindner et al (2022) stated that self-actualization might not only concern its benefits but may also include all facilities and infrastructures that promote well-being, such as housing, student loans, health insurance, and aptitude toward living. This was observed among the ethnic Albanian immigrants, who either stayed in Malaysia or migrated to other countries such as Australia when they perceived the challenges that they had previously encountered again after migrating to Malaysia as students as well as after graduation.…”

Over de betekenis van betekenis

“…Ons lopende onderzoek richt zich hierbij niet alleen op denkbeelden over de EU, maar ook op ideeën over sociale zekerheid (Lindner et al 2022a(Lindner et al , 2022b, vaccinaties (Ten Kate et al 2021), de gevestigde politiek (Noordzij et al 2021a(Noordzij et al , 2021b en gezondheidscampagnes ( Van Meurs et al 2022). Hierbij hanteren we vaak een stapsgewijze aanpak.…”