Attitudes towards refugees: Do numbers matter? : The effect of minority size population on the acceptance of refugees in Swedish municipalities

Abstract: With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and other regions of the world, the eminent influx of refugees to European nations has become a topic of great concern and discussion. An increase in research has occurred concerning attitudes towards refugees and immigration in general, which has put forth the question of whether larger numbers of foreign born correlates positively or negatively to attitudes towards immigrants. Much of the previous research has focused largely on cross-national comparisons but has overlooked the importance of contextual factors at lower levels of analysis. Using cross-sectional data, the focus of this thesis is on the proportion of foreign born in Swedish municipalities and its correlation to attitudes towards refugees. The results confirm intergroup contact theory, which stipulates interaction among different groups results in greater tolerance, which is facilitated by a larger proportion of foreign born. In addition, the results also support the negative impact of poor economic conditions. When looking at the effect of unemployment on attitudes towards refugees; less tolerant attitudes arise as a consequence of higher unemployment. More research is needed in order to understand the importance of the proportion of foreigners and socioeconomic factors in the formation of attitudes towards refugees.