Opposition to Immigration, Economic Insecurity and Individual Values: Evidence from Russia

Since 1991, Russia has become one of the leading immigration destinations in the industrialised world. The inflow has prompted substantial public opposition, as surveys show that half or more of the public want to limit new arrivals. The sources of public disapproval, however, are unclear: while public discourse includes complaints about perceived economic and cultural ills of immigration, research on public opinion finds that neither economic nor cultural concerns have a consistent impact on individual attitudes. This study provides a new analysis, showing that economic vulnerability and cultural orientations (such as social conservatism and low levels of interpersonal trust) play a significant role in shaping anti-immigrant sentiment.