Understanding Anti-Immigrant Attitudes
Section outline
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Introducing the lecturers and students; introducing the syllabus of the course: course structure, course requirements, readings; introducing the phenomena of the course.
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This first class will answer the question of importance of talking anti-immigrant attitudes, will introduce to brief history of immigration, and define the basic terms and concepts used throughout the course: prejudice, stereotypes, attitudes, etc.
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This class draws on social psychology literature to cast light on the structural causes leading to the emergence of stereotypes against strangers – Xenos – members of variously defined outgroups. It will also seek to explain why – and through which mechanisms – stereotypes about strangers, particularly immigrants, evolve.
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This class will introduce the major theories of why ingroup members feel threatened by outgroups, such as Intergroup Threat Theory, Social dominance theory and how these theories can be applied on anti-immigrant research.
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This class will introduce the major methods dealing with measuring stereotypes, racism and bias (Stereotype Content Model, Social dominance orientation and other)
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This class will focus on the factors shaping our negative – neutral, or positive – attitudes toward immigrant groups, such as education, social status, cultural proximity, the extent of intergroup contact, etc.
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The purpose of the summary (in form of midterm exam or small group discussions) will be to test the students’ knowledge of the concepts and theories pertaining to the first block of the course.
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Mid -term test Quiz
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Case studies;
1. What is behind Western Europe´s failing in integration process
2. Racism in America
3. Civil war in Syria and mass immigration to Europe
4. Australia as a model country
5. Czech republic