Working Paper: NBER ID: w30473
Authors: Rania Gihleb; Osea Giuntella; Luca Stella
Abstract: How does previous exposure to massive immigrant inflows affect concerns about current immigration and the integration of refugees? To answer this question, we investigate attitudes toward newcomers among natives and previous immigrants. In areas that in the 1990s received higher inflows of immigrants of German origin—so-called ethnic Germans—native Germans are more likely to believe that refugees are a resource for the economy and the culture, viewing them as an opportunity rather than a risk. Refugees living in these areas report better health and feel less exposed to xenophobia.
Keywords: immigration; refugees; attitudes; Germany
JEL Codes: I0; J15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| higher exposure to past immigration inflows (J69) | less favorable attitudes towards newcomers (J15) |
| higher inflows of ethnic Germans in the 1990s (J11) | more likely to view refugees positively (F22) |
| previous immigration experiences (F22) | better health and lower exposure to xenophobia (I14) |
| earlier cohorts of immigrants (J11) | more concern about newcomers (F22) |