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An Irish Welcome? Changing Irish Attitudes to Immigrants and Immigration: The Role of Recession and Immigration

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  • Frances McGinnity

    (Economic and Social Research Institute and Trinity College Dublin)

  • Gillian Kingston

    (Trinity College Dublin)

Abstract

This paper investigates attitudes to immigrants in Ireland in the period 2002 to 2012 and the role of economic recession, the increase in immigration, and respondents’ level of education on understanding changing attitudes. Attitudes to immigrants in Ireland became more negative as unemployment rose, but once we account for this, a higher proportion of immigrants was associated with more positive attitudes. Highly educated respondents (with third-level qualifications) report more favourable attitudes to immigrants than those with lower education. The attitudes of those with lower education were more responsive to economic conditions, meaning the gap in attitudes between high and low educated widened in recession.

Suggested Citation

  • Frances McGinnity & Gillian Kingston, 2017. "An Irish Welcome? Changing Irish Attitudes to Immigrants and Immigration: The Role of Recession and Immigration," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 48(3), pages 253-279.
    • Handle: RePEc:eso:journl:v:48:y:2017:i:3:p:253-279
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Peter, Julia & Übelmesser, Silke, 2023. "Regional Determinants of Attitudes Towards Immigrants," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277664, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Gianmarco Daniele & Andrea F.M. Martinangeli & Francesco Passarelli & Willem Sas & Lisa Windsteiger, 2020. "Fear and Loathing in Times of Distress Causal Impact of Social and Economic Insecurity on Anti-Immigration Sentiment," Working Papers tax-mpg-rps-2020-17, Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance.
    3. McGinnity, Frances & Creighton, Mathew & Fahey, Éamonn, 2020. "Hidden versus revealed attitudes: a list experiment on support for minorities in Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BKMNEXT372.
    4. Laurence, James & McGinnity, Frances & Murphy, Keire, 2024. "Attitudes towards immigration and refugees in Ireland: Understanding recent trends and drivers," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number JR5.
    5. Frances McGinnity & James Laurence & Emily Cunniffe, 2023. "Comparing migrant integration in Ireland and Northern Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS158.
    6. McGinnity, Fran & Grotti, Raffaele & Russell, Helen & Fahey, Éamonn, 2018. "Attitudes to Diversity in Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BKMNEXT350.

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