What determines public attitudes toward immigration in the Middle East: An analysis at the individual level

Saleh, DeenaVergil, HasanVergil, HasanYönetim Bilimleri Fakültesi, İktisat Bölümü2024-05-222024-05-222024Saleh, D. ve Vergil, H. (2024). What determines public attitudes toward immigration in the Middle East: An analysis at the individual level. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. https://www.doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-02-2024-00640144-333Xhttps://www.doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-02-2024-0064https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12154/2867[ArticleInPress]Purpose: Surveys in Europe show that immigration is more of a challenge than an opportunity for a significant number of people. However, little attention is given to attitudes toward immigration in the Middle East. This paper examines the effects of personal values and religiosity on the anti-immigration attitudes of citizens in the Middle East and North African countries. Design/methodology/approach: Utilizing data from the World Values Survey, we analyze how personal values and religiosity affect anti-immigration attitudes in nine Middle Eastern countries. The data covers individual-level data of 9 MENA countries from the WVS Round 7 (2017–2022). Factor analysis is applied as a data reduction method. Afterward, an OLS regression analysis is conducted on the pooled data. Findings: Anti-immigration attitudes increase with age, education, and religiosity. Personal values such as national pride, support for nationals, and belongingness to one’s country significantly affect anti-immigration attitudes. Furthermore, the importance of religion as a measure of religiosity was found to be positively associated with anti-immigration attitudes. Originality/value: This paper contributes to underexplored literature by investigating how individual-level determinants, such as demographic indicators, personal values, and religious factors, shape anti-immigration attitudes in the MENA context, distinct from European dynamics.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessAnti-Immigration AttitudesBehavioral EconomicsMiddle EastReligiosityValuesWhat determines public attitudes toward immigration in the Middle East: An analysis at the individual levelArticle10.1108/IJSSP-02-2024-0064Q2WOS:0012151699000012-s2.0-85192272787Q1