This story looks at how the rising opposition to immigration across the Western world is influencing politics – in particular the growth of far right parties and candidates. Citing work by ISR-UM social scientists Nicholas Valentino and Ted Brader, and Ashley Jardina of Duke, the author suggests that the impetus behind this wave of anti-immigration sentiment is ethnocentric rather than economic. As Valentino, Brader, and Jardina report: “Evidence about the role of economic concerns in opposition to immigration … has been inconsistent. On the other hand, symbolic attitudes such as group identities turn up as powerful in study after study.”

More about U-M politcal scientists find ethnocentrism more powerful than economic concerns in opposition to immigration >