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Cited by 239Social Policy and Reform StudiesMigration, Refugees, and IntegrationElectoral Systems and Political Participation

Does Immigration Undermine Public Support for Social Policy?

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Brady, David, Finnigan, Ryan·2014·American Sociological Review
DOI 10.1177/0003122413513022
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Abstract

There has been great interest in the relationship between immigration and the welfare state in recent years, and particularly since Alesina and Glaeser’s (2004) influential work. Following literatures on solidarity and fractionalization, race in the U.S. welfare state, and anti-immigrant sentiments, many contend that immigration undermines public support for social policy. This study analyzes three measures of immigration and six welfare attitudes using 1996 and 2006 International Social Survey Program (ISSP) data for 17 affluent democracies. Based on multi-level and two-way fixed-effects models, our results mostly fail to support the generic hypothesis that immigration undermines public support for social policy. The percent foreign born, net migration, and the 10-year change in the percent foreign born all fail to have robust significant negative effects on welfare attitudes. There is evidence that the percent foreign born significantly undermines the welfare attitude that government “should provide a job for everyone who wants one.” However, there is more robust evidence that net migration and change in percent foreign born have positive effects on welfare attitudes. We conclude that the compensation and chauvinism hypotheses provide greater potential for future research, and we critically consider other ways immigration could undermine the welfare state. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that factors other than immigration are far more important for public support of social policy.

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Crossref · 10.1177/0003122413513022

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  • There is no inherent or universal tendency for multiculturalism to drive down solidarity.

    “Despite the pessimistic claims of some of the earliest proponents of the progressive ' s dilemma, it is now clear that there is no inherent or universal tendency for multiculturalism to drive down solidarity.”

    From Solidarity in diverse societies: beyond neoliberal multiculturalism and welfare chauvinism (2015) · cites this paper as Brady & Finnigan 2014

  • Crossnational studies show that countries which have embraced multiculturalism policies have on average fared as well as other countries in maintaining social spending, public support for redistributive programs, and attitudes of inclusive solidarity.

    “Crossnational studies show that countries which have gone farther down the road of embracing multiculturalism policies have on average fared as well as other countries in maintaining social spending, in maintaining public support for redistributive programs, and in maintaining attitudes of inclusive solidarity (Banting & Kymlicka, 2006, (in press;) Brady & Finnigan 2014; Kesler & Bloem”

    From Solidarity in diverse societies: beyond neoliberal multiculturalism and welfare chauvinism (2015) · cites this paper as Brady & Finnigan 2014

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Authors
Brady, D., & Finnigan, R.
Affiliations
WZB Berlin Social Science Center (DE)
ORCID
Finnigan, Ryan
Venue
American Sociological Review
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2013-12-19
Volume
79
Issue
1
Pages
17-42
ISSN
  • 0003-1224 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-8271
DOI
10.1177/0003122413513022
OpenAlex
W2159261974
Cited by
239
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 3
FWCI
63.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • American Sociological Review (publishedVersion)
  • Econstor (Econstor) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1061007, 1059959)
  • University of Connecticut
  • University of Pittsburgh
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Social Policy and Reform Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Migration, Refugees, and Integration
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Electoral Systems and Political Participation
Keywords
immigration, welfare attitudes, welfare state, solidarity, fractionalization, anti-immigrant sentiment, foreign-born population, net migration, affluent democracies

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