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Vaughan, Kenneth R. “Anti-Immigrant Sentiment and Opposition to Democracy in Europe.” Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies (2020): 1-17.
Abstract
Years of declining support for democracy and the election of leaders with authoritarian characteristics in liberal-democracies continues to trouble scholars. Current narratives may understate the importance of nativist beliefs in these developments by treating this as a byproduct of broader political movements. I contribute to the understanding of nativism’s role in democratic beliefs by arguing for isolating nativism from broader political movements when studying its consequences. Even when controlling for populism, far-right political affiliation, and important national-level variables, anti-immigrant sentiment is significantly associated with increased illiberal-democratic political preferences and decreased evaluations of the importance of living in a democracy.
