Explaining Differences in Welfare Chauvinism between and within Individuals over Time: The Role of Subjective and Objective Economic Risk, Economic Egalitarianism, and Ethnic Threat

A considerable portion of European citizens are in favour of limited or conditional access for migrants to welfare provisions. Previous studies found that this welfare chauvinism is stronger among citizens with less favourable economic positions. This study seeks to explain the relationship between economic risk, both objective and subjective, and welfare chauvinism by looking at two distinct mechanisms: The traditional economic explanation of economic egalitarianism and the cultural explanation of ethnic threat. Given the lack of longitudinal studies, we also examine whether changes in economic risk, economic egalitarianism and threat can explain changes in welfare chauvinism over time. Using a four-wave panel-study (2013-2015) collected in Great Britain and the Netherlands, these relationships were studied both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The longitudinal mediation model was tested by making use of parallel process latent growth curve modelling. In both Great Britain and the Netherlands, economic egalitarianism and ethnic threat explained the link between economic risk and welfare chauvinism. Furthermore, in both countries, an increase over time in perceptions of ethnic threat was found to be the driving force behind an increase in welfare chauvinism, irrespective of changes in economic egalitarianism

Longitudinal Changes in Interracial Hate Crimes in the USA, 1990–2014: Does Racial Composition Matter?

Studies on the relationship between racial composition and interracial hate crimes are largely cross-sectional, while little is known about longitudinal developments. This paper examines the impact of longitudinal changes in the racial composition of regions on interracial hate crimes in the USA. We use official statistics on 120,000 White on Black hate crimes that were committed across 3500 regions in the period between 1990 and 2014. Applying longitudinal multi-level modelling, we find that during this period there was an overall decline in interracial hate crimes. Furthermore, our results reveal that the decline was more pronounced in regions that witnessed a significant reduction in the share of Whites. Despite concerns that increasing racial diversity may lead to more interracial animosity and hate crimes, our study suggests the opposite. As the numerical predominance of White people in USA erodes, the number of White on Black hate crimes decreases

Criminal Careers of Burglars and Robbers in the Netherlands

This paper investigates criminal career characteristics and trajectories of domestic burglars, residential and commercial robbers, and street robbers in the Netherlands. We used longitudinal data which includes the criminal cases from 1997 until 2020 for all people of 12 years or older. We studied all 89,062 offenders that had at least one criminal case in the period between 2002 and 2004. Semiparametric group trajectory models were used to cluster these offenders into groups with similar criminal careers. Our results suggest that in order to predict who will follow the career path of a life-course persistent offender, it is important to distinguish between specific groups of offenders. Life-course persistent offenders are found amongst domestic burglars, residential and commercial robbers, and street robbers, but not amongst offenders of other types of crime. Furthermore, the size of the group of life-course persistent offenders varies between the domestic burglars, residential and commercial robbers, and street robbers and is largest for domestic burglars. Other criminal career characteristics, such as age of onset, age of termination, duration, and specialisation, are also compared between offender groups

The nature of negative contact : Studies on interethnic relations in western societies

There has been somewhat of a mismatch between, on the one hand, the implicit concern in much of the public and political discussions that ethnic diversity breeds discord and conflict, and, on the other hand, the rather lopsided focus in social scientific research on positive interethnic experiences. At its core, this dissertation is an attempt to remedy this incongruity by focussing on negative experiences, in particular between people from different ethnic or racial backgrounds. Throughout this dissertation, different forms of negative experiences are studied, including criminal offences, harsh feedback, nuisances between neighbours, and aggression amongst high school pupils. By using state-of-the-art statistical methods, Kros analyses largescale surveys, network data, hate crime statistics, and laboratory experiments to gain insights about the nature of negative contact. Kros shows that while negative interethnic contact is far less common than positive contact, it does increase levels of prejudice and undermine trust and social cohesion. However, negative interethnic contact is not more likely to occur in neighbourhoods or municipalities that are more ethnically diverse. A higher percentage of ethnic outgroup neighbours is not related to more hate crimes nor to more mundane negative experiences. Similarly, high school pupils are not more likely to behave negatively towards their classmates, for instance by bullying them, if they have a different ethnic background. Instead aggression is met with aggression, and negative behaviour can be a very effective way to distance oneself from lower-status peers or to gain a higher position in the social hierarchy

The nature of negative contact: Studies on interethnic relations in western societies

There has been somewhat of a mismatch between, on the one hand, the implicit concern in much of the public and political discussions that ethnic diversity breeds discord and conflict, and, on the other hand, the rather lopsided focus in social scientific research on positive interethnic experiences. At its core, this dissertation is an attempt to remedy this incongruity by focussing on negative experiences, in particular between people from different ethnic or racial backgrounds. Throughout this dissertation, different forms of negative experiences are studied, including criminal offences, harsh feedback, nuisances between neighbours, and aggression amongst high school pupils. By using state-of-the-art statistical methods, Kros analyses largescale surveys, network data, hate crime statistics, and laboratory experiments to gain insights about the nature of negative contact. Kros shows that while negative interethnic contact is far less common than positive contact, it does increase levels of prejudice and undermine trust and social cohesion. However, negative interethnic contact is not more likely to occur in neighbourhoods or municipalities that are more ethnically diverse. A higher percentage of ethnic outgroup neighbours is not related to more hate crimes nor to more mundane negative experiences. Similarly, high school pupils are not more likely to behave negatively towards their classmates, for instance by bullying them, if they have a different ethnic background. Instead aggression is met with aggression, and negative behaviour can be a very effective way to distance oneself from lower-status peers or to gain a higher position in the social hierarchy

Fostering a Global Identity: Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and the Emergence of a Hypothetical Other

In this essay we argue that there are certain processes at work in the world, which could theoretically contribute to the fostering of a global identity. Even though a global identity is regarded by many social scientists as unviable, if not impossible, because an “Us” is always in need of a “Them”, we aim to transcend these conceptions. The central theory is that as humanity’s sense of interconnectedness grows and the need for a global collaboration becomes necessary in order to deal effectively with climate change and environmental degradation,a process could be set in motion whereby, as we move towards a collaborative “Us” (the unified social body), a hypothetical or historical “Them” is constructed (the divided social body). The purpose of this speculative paper is primarily to challenge prevailing, perhaps pessimistic, convictions that the construction of a global identity is impossible, even though in light of the nature of current pressing issues it is highly necessary

Public attitudes towards support for migrants : the importance of perceived voluntary and involuntary migration

Immigration leads to strong and polarized public and political debates in Europe and the Western world more generally. In some of these debates, migrants are described as either having little choice but to migrate (involuntary) or as migrating out of their own free choice (voluntary). In two studies and using a social psychological perspective, native Dutch respondents were asked about their support for policies aimed at cultural rights and public assistance to perceived voluntary and involuntary migrants. Study 1 showed that stronger agreement with migration being voluntary was associated with lower policy support, while agreement with migration being involuntary was independently associated with higher support. In Study 2 the degree of support was examined as a consequence of feelings of empathy and anger. Perceived involuntariness of migration elicited feelings of empathy and therefore higher support for newcomers. In contrast, perceived voluntariness elicited stronger anger and therefore less support

Public attitudes towards support for migrants : the importance of perceived voluntary and involuntary migration

Immigration leads to strong and polarized public and political debates in Europe and the Western world more generally. In some of these debates, migrants are described as either having little choice but to migrate (involuntary) or as migrating out of their own free choice (voluntary). In two studies and using a social psychological perspective, native Dutch respondents were asked about their support for policies aimed at cultural rights and public assistance to perceived voluntary and involuntary migrants. Study 1 showed that stronger agreement with migration being voluntary was associated with lower policy support, while agreement with migration being involuntary was independently associated with higher support. In Study 2 the degree of support was examined as a consequence of feelings of empathy and anger. Perceived involuntariness of migration elicited feelings of empathy and therefore higher support for newcomers. In contrast, perceived voluntariness elicited stronger anger and therefore less support