Changing Demographics & Xenophobia: How Immigrant Population Change Affects Public Attitudes in the UK

Abstract

In this article, I evaluate how increased contact with immigrant populations and utilitarian concerns shape public attitudes toward immigrants in the United Kingdom. In particular, I address the following question: how does the presence of immigrants in a local community affect xenophobic attitudes? Beyond the simple number of immigrants, I also test whether contact has a different effect in districts that experience a dramatic increase in immigration between census cycles. In other words, if formerly homogeneous regions suddenly increase to 5 or 10% immigrant population, that shift may be more likely to affect attitudes than a steady and long-time immigrant popula- tion in greater numbers. Synthesizing public opinion, economic, and demographic data from 1990–2001, I explore these questions. By taking advantage of cross-sectional variation in minority populations, I develop and test hypotheses concerning the presence of immigrant populations and xenophobic sentiments. In clarifying this relationship, this article contributes to ongoing debates over contact theory.

Keywords: xenophobia, United Kingdom, Europe, public opinion