Immigrant integration policy and native adolescents’ attitudes towards ethnic minorities: a comparative study of European Countries

This study investigated whether a country’s policy context for immigrant integration was related to native adolescents’ attitudes towards ethnic minorities in European countries, using data from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study. We found that students in a country with more inclusive and multiculturalist policies for immigrant minorities showed more positive attitudes towards ethnic minorities, compared to their counterparts in a country with less inclusive and multiculturalist policies, even after controlling for individual and country characteristics. We also found a significant interaction effect between family socioeconomic status and immigrant integration policies, suggesting that inclusive immigrant integration policies may trigger different reactions among native adolescents depending on their family background. Theoretical and policy implications of these findings are discussed.