When (and where) do pandemics foster anti-migrant actions? Individual-, contextual- and societal-level drivers affecting social cohesion during the COVID-19 pandemic

Besta, T, Thomas, E, Olech, M, Jurek, P, Osborne, D and Palace, M ORCID: 0000-0003-3016-2118 When (and where) do pandemics foster anti-migrant actions? Individual-, contextual- and societal-level drivers affecting social cohesion during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. ISSN 0147-1767 (Accepted)

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Abstract

Research on anti-migrant actions has produced conflicting results, which we aimed to better understand through a multi-level and context-sensitive approach. Specifically, we investigated individual- (social dominance orientation; SDO), group- (identification), contextual- (attribution of migrants’ responsibility for the pandemic), and societal-level (Migrant Integration Policy Index and Democracy Index) correlates of anti-migrant collective action. Multi-level analyses from 21 countries (N = 4,493) revealed that SDO correlated positively with identification with anti-migrant movements. However, believing that the pandemic emerged due to migration (contextual-level variable) and inclusive migration policies (societal-level variable) moderated the link between SDO and willingness to join anti-migrant actions. Those high on SDO who also believed the pandemic was due to migration were the most willing to pursue anti-migrant activities. Finally, SDO predicted anti-migrant collective actions, but only in countries with inclusive migration policies. These results uncover the contextual- and societal-level factors that exacerbate the relationship between SDO and anti-migrant actions.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1608 Sociology; 1701 Psychology; Social Psychology; 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour; 4404 Development studies; 4702 Cultural studies
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	Psychology (from Sep 2019)
Publisher:	Elsevier
Date of acceptance:	11 August 2025
Date Deposited:	22 Aug 2025 09:08
Last Modified:	22 Aug 2025 09:15
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26975

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