Volume 26 Number 1 January 2000

Articles
Research note
Debates
Reviews
Abstracts

Articles

Abstract Many previous studies of mass nativism have used abstract psychological explanations or sociological ‘micro-theories’ to account for public opposition to immigration or support for nativist political movements. On methodological and policy grounds, however, both of these approaches are unsatisfying. This article instead articulates two theories that usually avoid such pitfalls: first, economic self-interest and second, marginality (especially in its cultural version). The study tests these two explanations using public-opinion surveys on opposition to immigration in France, Germany, and the USA and polls on support for the French Front national, the German Republikaner, and California’s Proposition 187. Multivariate analysis weakly supports economic self-interest but generally confirms the cultural if not economic form of marginality. These results may suggest that the current battles over immigration have as much to do with whose cultural values will triumph as with whose economic wellbeing will be protected.
Keywords: Nativism; Xenophobia; France; Germany; USA
(Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 26 No. 1: 5-23, © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.)

Negative and positive racialisation: re-examining ethnic minority political representation in the UK
Shamit Saggar and Andrew Geddes

Abstract In the 1997 British General Election the race issue appeared to count for little or nothing in constituency battles beyond those 44 seats in which an ethnic minority candidate was fielded. Almost all these constituencies contained sizeable ethnic minority electorates. The exception, whilst interesting and a powerful alternative to the framework discussed in this article, is just that: an exception to an underlying and far-reaching pattern in the political integration of ethnic minorities in Britain. Minority representatives plainly have the potential to enter the mainstream but so far they have generally not done so. Curiously, this is in large part the consequence of distinct racialisation processes that have opened up new opportunities whilst curbing others. In terms of the intersection between representative politics and racial politics at the end of the decade, the impression is underlined that race counts, but for ethnic minorities alone.
Keywords:  Political representation; UK
(Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 26 No. 1: 25-44, © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.)

National identity and the attitude towards foreigners in multi-national states: the case of Belgium
Bart Maddens, Jaak Billiet and Roeland Beerten

Abstract As an example of a multinational state in which various nationalities compete for public support, Belgium is a case in point. The citizens can identify with the official Belgian identity or with sub-national identities in Flanders and in Wallonia. How are these identities of the citizens related to their attitudes toward foreigners? Are citizens who have a strong identification with the national state (Belgium) or with the regions (Flanders or Wallonia) more likely to adopt hostile attitudes toward foreigners? A structural modelling approach was applied to the data of the 1991 election survey to map out the relationship between national identity and the attitude towards foreigners in Belgium. This shows that both attitudes are inversely related in Flanders and Wallonia. In Flanders, citizens with a strong Flemish identification tend to have a negative attitude towards foreigners, while those with a strong Belgian identification are more positive. In Wallonia, the stronger the Walloon identity, the more positive the attitude towards foreigners; the stronger the Belgian identity, the more negative the attitude towards foreigners. This finding indicates that the relationship between both variables is not intrinsic but is at least to some extent determined by the social representation of the national identity in the social and political context.
Keywords:  National identity; xenophobia; Belgium
(Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 26 No. 1: 45-60, © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.)

Mechanisms of migration from Poland before and during the transition period
Krystyna Iglicka-Okolska

Abstract This article explores Polish migratory movements with particular attention being paid to the mechanisms determining outflows before and after communism. The developments and changes that took place in Central and Easter Europe after 1989 had tremendous impact, both direct and indirect, on many spheres of life, including international migration. Migration became one of the distinct components of the transition period, and it changed markedly in character. This article reports both official statistics and results from an empirical research exercise on migration from Poland since the mid-1970s.
Keywords: migration; Poland
(Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 26 No. 1: 61-73, © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.)

Refugee settlement in Britain: the impact of policy on participation
Alice Bloch

Abstract The settlement of refugees and asylum-seekers in countries of asylum depends on a range of factors that include the policies of the country of asylum as well as the experiences to and attitudes of individuals to exile. This article examines the direction of social policy towards refugees and asylum-seekers in Britain and the impact of policy on participation. Drawing on a sample of 180 refugees and asylum-seekers from the Somali, Tamil and Congolese communities, in the London Borough of Newham, this article shows the importance of immigration status, and the associated citizenship rights, on the social and economic settlement of refugees and asylum-seekers. Labour market participation is known to be a key factor affecting the settlement of refugees. Labour market activity is explored along with the impact of policy on participation. The article concludes that the direction of government policy, which continues to erode access to social and economic institutions, has an adverse affect on the settlement of refugee people in Britain.
Keywords:  refugee policy; Britain
(Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 26 No. 1: 75-88 © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.)

Party politics and the Bosnian question: the Swedish decision to grant permanent residence
Maria Appelqvist

Abstract In June 1993 the Swedish right-wing government took the decision to grant 40,000 Bosnian refugees permission to remain permanently in Sweden. The Swedish decision could be seen as being somewhat unique in a context where neighbouring countries (Denmark and Norway) were granting the same group of refugee protection on temporary basis, and where there was increasing debate throughout Europe about temporary protection. While there is a Swedish tradition of granting permanent residence to persons who have been accepted as refugees, question marks have been raised over this policy in the course of the 1990s. Moreover, Sweden’s previous (social democratic) government had already established the principle of temporary protection as a model for future occasions. This article discusses the ideological considerations behind this controversial decision in the light of the contrary conceptions of the social democrats. The article draws on the results of a comparative study about the reception of Bosnian refugees in the Nordic countries. The study comprised informal discussions and formal interviews with ministers, civil servants and administrative officers in the Swedish Ministry of Immigration as well as analysis of 179 departmental documents in the ministries responsible for refugee and immigration policy during the 1990s.
Keywords: Refugees; Bosnians; Sweden
(Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 26 No. 1: 89-108, © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.)

Immigration policy and research in Canada: pure or applied?
Anthony H. Richmond

Abstract A review of Canadian immigration research, published between 1980 and 1998, suggests that research had only a limited impact on policies and programmes. Economists seemed to have more influence than psychologists, sociologists or demographers. Alternative models of the way research may enter the policy decision-making process are described. A ‘systems’ model recognises the competing influence of special interest groups and the influence of public opinion. Emphasis is placed on the need for academic researchers to make their conclusions known expeditiously, in order to create a more enlightened public.
Keywords: Immigration: Applied Research; Canada
(Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 26 No. 1: 109-125 © 2000 Taylor and Francis Ltd.)