Does Globalization Broaden The Mind? The impact of Globalization on attitudes towards immigrant-rights of young adolescents in 35 regions

Abstract

Abstract

Globalization extends the areas of interaction between people of different origins. According to Allport’s contact theory (1958), intergroup contacts can reduce prejudices and negative attitudes towards foreigners. In this paper we focus on the impact of globalization (Dreher’s Index, 2007) on the openness towards immigrants, using multilevel models on the ICCS 2009 data (35 countries). There is a negative relation between globalization and the attitudes of adolescents towards immigrant rights. At the local classroom level the presence of non-natives seems to stimulate a positive attitude. Globalization is a multidimensional process that engenders different consequences at different levels.

Keywords: prejudice – xenophobia – Allport – globalization index – ICCS