When cultures clash: Links between perceived cultural distance in values and attitudes towards migrants.

Migration elicits mixed reactions from the host-society. Negative responses towards migrants seem to emerge when migrants are perceived as culturally different. We investigated when and why perceived cultural distance (PCD) is associated with negative migrant attitudes by focussing on differences in cultural values. We expected that PCD in social values (focus on relationships and society) should be more strongly associated with attitudes towards migrants than personal values (individual needs and gains) and should be mediated by symbolic threat. In two quasi-experimental studies (N = 200, N = 668) with Dutch participants (host-society), we simultaneously tested effects of respondents' perception of Dutch values, their perceptions of migrant values (of Moroccan, Syrian, Polish ethnic origin), and PCD between Dutch-migrant value on attitudes. For all migrant groups, PCD in social values was associated with more negative attitudes, less tolerance, and less policy support regarding migrants; this was mediated by symbolic threat. These links were weaker for personal values.

Should immigrants culturally assimilate or preserve their own culture? Host-society natives' beliefs and the longevity of national identity.

We develop and empirically test a theory concerning host-society natives' beliefs about whether immigrants should culturally assimilate into the host society or preserve their own cultural norms. We argue that when national identity is a source of intrinsic utility, the longevity of national identity influences a national identity's perceived resilience to an ostensible immigrant threat and, thus, affects natives' beliefs about the need for immigrants' cultural assimilation. Empirical evidence based on data from countries of wider Europe supports our theory. An expert survey-based measure of the longevity of national identity, first, exhibits a robustly negative effect on the strength of natives' preferences in favor of immigrants' cultural assimilation and, second, is an important contextual moderating variable that shapes the effect of individual-level characteristics on their beliefs. Thus, host-society natives' beliefs about the necessity of immigrants' cultural assimilation versus accommodation of cultural diversity reflect a historically-rooted sense of national identity.

Mental well-being of migrants in urban center of India: Analyzing the role of social environment.

BACKGROUND: Rural to urban migration has become a salient feature of the country. However, there is a dearth of study highlighting impact of this movement on mental health of the migrant people. AIMS: The main objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between specific components of social environment and psychological well-being of migrants in an urban center. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The National Capital Territory of Delhi was selected for intensive study and has an exploratory design supported by cross-sectional primary data. METHODOLOGY: A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain data about the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents. For measuring the mental well-being, the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO5) was used. The required information was procured through interview method from 1230 sampled respondents. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Influence of socioeconomic variables on mental well-being of the people was estimated through multivariate logistic regression methods. For different combinations of risk factors, five models were developed based on unstandardized likelihood coefficients. RESULTS: Poor mental health was significantly higher among single/widow/divorced/separated (odds ratio [OR] =0.76, P < 0.01), unskilled (OR = 2.26, P < 0.01), daily wager (OR = 2.57, P < 0.01), and illiterate (OR = 2.55, P < 0.01). Longer year of immigration, younger age, and higher income level (P < 0.001) were positively related to mental health. Poor housing conditions (P < 0.001), adjustment problem (P < 0.001), and feeling insecure (P < 0.01) were independent predictors of poor mental health. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic and environmental problem caused by the migrants and faced by the migrants is required in-depth study to formulate comprehensive policies.

The Migration, Mental Stress, and Tobacco use of Internal Migrants in China: The Moderating Effect of the Social Context of the Host Society.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the relationship between mental stress and the tobacco use of internal migrants have not fully considered the social context of the host society. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine how mental stress influences cigarette smoking in internal migrants in China by considering the social context of the host society. METHODS: We used the RUMiC data that were collected in 15 cities distributed throughout 9 provinces of China. A total of 8,446 and 5,426 migrant workers were interviewed in 2008 and 2009, respectively. We selected individuals based on the criteria of age, salary, and hukou status. A total of 8,880 observations are valid for this study. This research used the logistic regression method to test the association between mental stress and the tobacco use of internal migrants. RESULTS: The results show that mental stress is not necessarily associated with the tobacco use of internal migrants. However, the effects of mental stress on tobacco use are moderated by the social context of the host society. CONCLUSIONS: This article calls for more attention to be paid to the moderate effect of social context in the host society on the association between mental stress and cigarette smoking of internal migrants. Moreover, this article underscores the importance of factors related to local societies in making and enacting tobacco control policies for migrants in developing countries.

Imigrantes e sociedade de acolhimento: percepções e realidades no caso de Portugal / Los inmigrantes y la sociedad de acogida: percepciones y realidades en el caso de Portugal / Immigrants and the host society: perceptions and realities in the case of Portugal

A imigração e o seu impacto nas sociedades são um dos maiores desafios sociais do século XXI. Tanto a população imigrante como a população de acolhimento, optam por diferentes estratégias de aculturação. Com o objetivo de analisar as perceções de imigrantes e sociedade de acolhimento, face a questões como a aculturação, a discriminação, a ameaça, a integração ou as barreiras linguísticas em Portugal, desenvolvemos um estudo qualitativo. Foram realizadas 40 entrevistas (20 imigrantes de diferentes nacionalidades e 20 portugueses), cujos resultados indicam que tanto os imigrantes como a sociedade de acolhimento são favoráveis à integração. Os portugueses não se consideram discriminatórios e em geral, todos os imigrantes se sentem integrados em Portugal. Em síntese, Portugal, aparenta ser um país aberto à diversidade de culturas e um país hospitaleiro, tanto que os imigrantes se sentem bem e não pretendem abandonar o país.

La inmigración y su impacto en las sociedades es uno de los mayores desafíos del siglo XXI. Tanto la población inmigrante como la población de acogida optam por diferentes estrategias de aculturación. Con el objetivo de analizar las percepciones de inmigrantes y del país de acogida sobre questiones tales como la aculturación, la discriminación, la amenaza, la integración o las barreras lingüísticas, se llevó a cabo un estudio cualitativo. Se realizaron 40 entrevistas (20 inmigrantes de diferentes nacionalidades y 20 de nacionalidad Portuguesa). Los resultados mostraron que tanto los inmigrantes como el país de acogida son favorables a la integración. Los portugueses no percibieron que manifiesten conductas de discriminación y en general todos los inmigrantes se sintieron integrados en Portugal. Resumiendo, Portugal parece ser un país abierto a la diversidad de culturas y un país hospitalario, donde los inmigrantes se sienten bien y sin intenciones de abandonarlo.

Immigration and its impact on societies is one of the main social challenges of the 21st century. Both immigrants and the host society choose different acculturation strategies. To analyze the perceptions that both immigrants and their host society have on questions regarding acculturation, discrimination, threat, integration, or linguistic barriers in Portugal, we carried out a qualitative study. We interviewed forty people (20 immigrants of different nationalities and 20 Portuguese) and results show that both immigrants and the host society choose integration. The Portuguese don't consider themselves to be discriminatory people, and in general, immigrants feel integrated in Portugal. To sum up, Portugal seems to be a welcoming country, open to cultural diversity; a place where immigrants feel well and don't intend to leave.

IMIGRANTES E SOCIEDADE DE ACOLHIMENTO: PERCEPÇÕES E REALIDADES NO CASO DE PORTUGAL / INMIGRANTES Y PAÍS DE ACOGIDA: PERCEPCIONES Y REALIDADES EN EL CASO DE PORTUGAL / IMMIGRANTS AND HOST SOCIETY: PERCEPTIONS AND REALITIES OF THE PORTUGAL CASE

ResumoA imigração e o seu impacto nas sociedades são um dos maiores desafios sociais do século XXI. Tanto a população imigrante como a população de acolhimento, optam por diferentes estratégias de aculturação. Com o objetivo de analisar as perceções de imigrantes e sociedade de acolhimento, face a questões como a aculturação, a discriminação, a ameaça, a integração ou as barreiras linguísticas em Portugal, desenvolvemos um estudo qualitativo. Foram realizadas 40 entrevistas (20 imigrantes de diferentes nacionalidades e 20 portugueses), cujos resultados indicam que tanto os imigrantes como a sociedade de acolhimento são favoráveis à integração. Os portugueses não se consideram discriminatórios e em geral, todos os imigrantes se sentem integrados em Portugal. Em síntese, Portugal, aparenta ser um país aberto à diversidade de culturas e um país hospitaleiro, tanto que os imigrantes se sentem bem e não pretendem abandonar o país.(AU)

ResumenLa inmigración y su impacto en las sociedades es uno de los mayores desafíos del siglo XXI. Tanto la población inmigrante como la población de acogida optam por diferentes estrategias de aculturación. Con el objetivo de analizar las percepciones de inmigrantes y del país de acogida sobre questiones tales como la aculturación, la discriminación, la amenaza, la integración o las barreras lingüísticas, se llevó a cabo un estudio cualitativo. Se realizaron 40 entrevistas (20 inmigrantes de diferentes nacionalidades y 20 de nacionalidad Portuguesa). Los resultados mostraron que tanto los inmigrantes como el país de acogida son favorables a la integración. Los portugueses no percibieron que manifiesten conductas de discriminación y en general todos los inmigrantes se sintieron integrados en Portugal. Resumiendo, Portugal parece ser un país abierto a la diversidad de culturas y un país hospitalario, donde los inmigrantes se sienten bien y sin intenciones de abandonarlo.(AU)

AbstractImmigration and its impact on societies is one of the main social challenges of the 21st century. Both immigrants and the host society choose different acculturation strategies. To analyze the perceptions that both immigrants and their host society have on questions regarding acculturation, discrimination, threat, integration, or linguistic barriers in Portugal, we carried out a qualitative study. We interviewed forty people (20 immigrants of different nationalities and 20 Portuguese) and results show that both immigrants and the host society choose integration. The Portuguese don't consider themselves to be discriminatory people, and in general, immigrants feel integrated in Portugal. To sum up, Portugal seems to be a welcoming country, open to cultural diversity; a place where immigrants feel well and don't intend to leave.(AU)