They Take Away Our Jobs! They Undermine Our National Culture! Public Perceptions of Immigrants and Their Consequences for Solidarity Across Ethnic Boundaries

Today’s societies are characterized by high levels of ethnic diversity due to large-scale international migration. While levels of diversity are comparable across Western countries, the ethnic composition of the immigrant population differs markedly across these popular immigrant destinations. Who is perceived as a ‘typical immigrant’ therefore differs across societies, but the content of the stereotypes of newcomer groups show striking similarities. Fears about competition over economic resources (e.g., jobs, housing, and welfare) as well as attacks on national culture and identity are prominent in the immigration discourse and are frequently mobilized by political actors who advocate for more stringent migration policies. This chapter reviews the stereotype content model and theories of group threat to explain prejudice and exclusionary behaviour directed against immigrants in Western societies.