The costs of integration - an attitudinal study of ethnic Danes, non-western immigrants and policymakers

<p>This comparative study attempts to explain the perceived unsatisfactory level of integration of non-Western immigrants in Denmark by examining a possible schism between attitudes towards integration of elite policymakers and ethnic Danes and non-Western immigrants. So far no in-depth studie...

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Main Author: Kulvmann, J
Other Authors: Coleman, D
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2014
Subjects:
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author Kulvmann, J
author2 Coleman, D
author_facet Coleman, D
Kulvmann, J
author_sort Kulvmann, J
collection OXFORD
description <p>This comparative study attempts to explain the perceived unsatisfactory level of integration of non-Western immigrants in Denmark by examining a possible schism between attitudes towards integration of elite policymakers and ethnic Danes and non-Western immigrants. So far no in-depth studies of attitudes towards immigrant related issues have investigated the attitudes of policymakers. This thesis addresses this gap with a study of attitudes, which applies a theoretical framework combining rational choice theory with dimensions of social capital.</p> <p>The study focuses on the non-economic costs, especially social transaction costs that immigrants and Danes encounter in the process of integrating immigrants. An on-line questionnaire was distributed to Danes and non-Western immigrants collecting attitudinal quantitative data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with policymakers: politicians and bureaucrats at local and national level and representatives of ethnic councils.</p> <p>The study suggests that ethnic Danes and non-Western immigrants have rather similar attitudes towards structural integration, but they differ significantly in their attitudes towards cultural integration. While education, trust and having an out-group friend are significant determinants of the attitudes of Danes and their acceptance of social transaction costs, education and trust in out-group have limited impact on attitudes of non-Western immigrants. It is suggested that ethnic and religious factors are important predictors of attitudes of non-Western immigrants.</p> <p>Policymakers and ethnic Danes seem to have a similar pattern of social contact with immigrants. There are, however, indications that differences of attitudes between Danes and immigrants may be provoked by policymakers’ way of discussing integration. This is more salient among Parliamentarians and bureaucrats. This study shows that social interaction between immigrants and ethnic Danes is important in order to incorporate immigrants on equal terms with Danes, but the policymakers’ discussion of integration may alienate Danes and immigrants and influence negatively their readiness to integrate.</p>
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spelling oxford-uuid:9c0959fe-5dd0-4545-a6ab-d2c96d928f4c2024-11-29T15:56:02ZThe costs of integration - an attitudinal study of ethnic Danes, non-western immigrants and policymakersThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:9c0959fe-5dd0-4545-a6ab-d2c96d928f4cSocial policy & social workEnglishOxford University Research Archive - Valet2014Kulvmann, JColeman, DBukodi, E<p>This comparative study attempts to explain the perceived unsatisfactory level of integration of non-Western immigrants in Denmark by examining a possible schism between attitudes towards integration of elite policymakers and ethnic Danes and non-Western immigrants. So far no in-depth studies of attitudes towards immigrant related issues have investigated the attitudes of policymakers. This thesis addresses this gap with a study of attitudes, which applies a theoretical framework combining rational choice theory with dimensions of social capital.</p> <p>The study focuses on the non-economic costs, especially social transaction costs that immigrants and Danes encounter in the process of integrating immigrants. An on-line questionnaire was distributed to Danes and non-Western immigrants collecting attitudinal quantitative data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with policymakers: politicians and bureaucrats at local and national level and representatives of ethnic councils.</p> <p>The study suggests that ethnic Danes and non-Western immigrants have rather similar attitudes towards structural integration, but they differ significantly in their attitudes towards cultural integration. While education, trust and having an out-group friend are significant determinants of the attitudes of Danes and their acceptance of social transaction costs, education and trust in out-group have limited impact on attitudes of non-Western immigrants. It is suggested that ethnic and religious factors are important predictors of attitudes of non-Western immigrants.</p> <p>Policymakers and ethnic Danes seem to have a similar pattern of social contact with immigrants. There are, however, indications that differences of attitudes between Danes and immigrants may be provoked by policymakers’ way of discussing integration. This is more salient among Parliamentarians and bureaucrats. This study shows that social interaction between immigrants and ethnic Danes is important in order to incorporate immigrants on equal terms with Danes, but the policymakers’ discussion of integration may alienate Danes and immigrants and influence negatively their readiness to integrate.</p>
spellingShingle Social policy & social work
Kulvmann, J
The costs of integration - an attitudinal study of ethnic Danes, non-western immigrants and policymakers
title The costs of integration - an attitudinal study of ethnic Danes, non-western immigrants and policymakers
title_full The costs of integration - an attitudinal study of ethnic Danes, non-western immigrants and policymakers
title_fullStr The costs of integration - an attitudinal study of ethnic Danes, non-western immigrants and policymakers
title_full_unstemmed The costs of integration - an attitudinal study of ethnic Danes, non-western immigrants and policymakers
title_short The costs of integration - an attitudinal study of ethnic Danes, non-western immigrants and policymakers
title_sort costs of integration an attitudinal study of ethnic danes non western immigrants and policymakers
topic Social policy & social work
work_keys_str_mv AT kulvmannj thecostsofintegrationanattitudinalstudyofethnicdanesnonwesternimmigrantsandpolicymakers
AT kulvmannj costsofintegrationanattitudinalstudyofethnicdanesnonwesternimmigrantsandpolicymakers