Increasing global migration streams have multiplied the landscape of possible identities, and can raise fear and opposition as well as compassion and support. Understanding the ways both national majorities in destination countries and immigrants react to these social transformations remains a challenge. The project addresses thus the following overarching research question within Switzerland and in an international comparative perspective:

How and under which circumstances do societal norms of inclusion or exclusion affect attitudes and behavior related to migration among national majorities and immigrants?

Subproject 1: Migration Policies and Shared Majority Representations as Antecedents of Immigration Attitudes across Nations and in Switzerland
We examine how societal norms, intergroup contact, and national identification jointly shape national majority views regarding immigration.

Subproject 2: Influence of Political Positions Covered by Media on Attitudes towards Immigration and Political Parties
We investigate how political positions covered by media impact nationals’ hostility towards immigration and the rise of right-wing voting, and whether this effect is moderated by individual and social factors.

Subproject 3: Exclusionary Social Norms in Switzerland, and Non-Citizens’ Wellbeing and (Im-)Mobility Intentions and Behavior
We question why migrants leave again, or intend to naturalize, by scrutinizing how in- or exclusionary norms affect non-citizens’ onward mobility/naturalization intentions, and their self-reported wellbeing.