Support for Ethnic Discrimination in the Netherlands 1979-1993: Effects of Period, Cohort, and Individual Characteristics

Abstract

In the Netherlands, support for ethnic discrimination, that is, support for a disadvantageous treatment of ethnic minorities in the housing and labour market, had decreased in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but has increased since the mid-1980s up to the early 1990s. In this article, the authors examine the effects of contextual characteristics (period and cohort characteristics) and individual characteristics on support for ethnic discrimination. Hypotheses, derived from Ethnic Conflict Theory, are tested by means of logistic regression analysis, using individual-level pooled data over the period 1979-1993 (N = 20,156) as well as national-level time-series data, presumably indicative of period and cohort characteristics. Regarding period characteristics, the results show that support for ethnic discrimination is more widespread in times of high and increasing levels of ethnic immigration, as well as in times of growing unemployment. However, the level of unemployment as such has a negative effect on support for ethnic discrimination. Regarding cohort characteristics, the results show that the higher the level of ethnic immigration and unemployment during the formative years, the more widespread support for ethnic discrimination is. In addition, the authors found a positive effect of age. Regarding other individual characteristics, support for ethnic discrimination is particularly more widespread among less educated people.