Migrant-related attitudes and perceived ethnic threats between in-groups and out-groups: Greece and Sweden

The paper explores inter-group relations by detecting divergences and/or convergences in ethnic threat perceptions and migrant-opposition attitudes between in-groups and out-groups within and across Greece and Sweden representing contexts with differentiated macro-level actual competitive economic and integration policy conditions. Using data from the fourth round (2008/2009) of the European Social Survey (ESS) Univariate 2-way (M) Anovas demonstrate moderate inter-group relations in Sweden and intense ones in Greece implying a potential inter-group clash in the latter...
In order to examine the above hypotheses two countries with differentiated macro-level actual competitive economic and integration policy conditions are selected, i.e. Sweden and Greece. According to the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX II) these countries have almost diametrically different migrant-related policies as the former adopts inclusive integration policies and the latter exclusionist ones...
Despite the potential tensions between out-group members in Greece, the findings indicate significant divergences in migrant opposition attitudes and perceptions of ethnic threats between the Greek majority and minority group. Such empirical evidence implies intense inter-group relations and a potential ethnic clash that is likely to be formed not only through stringent micro-level actual competitive. Significant results of post hoc analyses on simple main effects in perceived economic threats between Greek and Swedish in-group and out-group members living in different financial conditions but also through macro-level ones as well as exclusionist integration policies that prevail in the country. The economic crisis during the last few years in Europe has severely hit Greece, which has resorted to bailouts to rescue its economy (Collett 2011). The austerity on government’s budgets and the explosion of unemployment rates has boosted the macro as well as the microlevel actual competitive conditions in the country. The deteriorating economic conditions are combined with exclusionist integration policies which do not embrace favourable measures promoting out-group integration in the Greek society (Niessen, Huddleston & Citron 2007). Detailed reports confirm that immigrants’ rights and integration become marginal as their legal status remains insecure even after 5 or 10 years of residence depending on their employment status proven by their welfare contributions (Triandafyllidou & Maroufof 2009: 73)...Read more