Discrimination, Narratives, and Family History: An Experiment with Jordanian Host and Syrian Refugee Children

Kai Barron,Sebastian O Schneider,Heike Harmgart,Matthias Sutter,Steffen Huck

doi:10.1162/rest_a_01090

Abstract

Abstract We measure the prevalence of discrimination between Jordanian host and Syrian refugee children attending school in Jordan. Using a simple sharing experiment, we find only a small degree of out-group discrimination. However, Jordanian children with Palestinian roots do not discriminate at all, suggesting that a family history of refugee status can generate solidarity with new refugees. We also find that parents’ narratives about the refugee crisis are correlated with their children's degree of out-group discrimination, particularly among Syrian refugee children, suggesting that discriminatory preferences are being transmitted through parental attitudes.

Highlights

Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011 over 650,000 Syrian refugees have sought shelter in Jordan and registered with UNHCR1
Complementing our analysis of parental attitudes, we study whether a family history of refugee status can generate solidarity with new refugees
While Jordanian children without Palestinian roots do display significant discrimination in favor of their in-group, we find that Jordanian children with Palestinian roots do not discriminate at all between Jordanians and Syrians

Summary

Introduction

Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011 over 650,000 Syrian refugees have sought shelter in Jordan and registered with UNHCR1. The majority appear likely to stay for decades to come3 – just as previous refugees from Iraq and, above all, Palestine did. Their successful integration into Jordanian society has become a matter of prime importance for the country’s stability in a fragile region. Complementing our analysis of parental attitudes, we study whether a family history of refugee status can generate solidarity with new refugees. We do this by evaluating the influence of being a descendant of Palestinian refugees on discriminatory behavior

Results

Discussion

Conclusion