Understanding attitudes toward internal migration in India requires acknowledging how majority and minority communities perceive economic threats differently. In Mumbai, a novel survey experiment revealed that dominant group members primarily focus on material self-interest when considering migrants, often overlooking their ethnic characteristics. For minority respondents, however, both ethnic solidarity and perceived economic threat play significant roles.
Our analysis introduces the concept of 'safety in numbers' for minorities: facing persistent discrimination themselves, they view in-migration by coethnics as a strategy to strengthen their demographic base and political power. This finding challenges conventional theories of nativism that don't adequately account for minority dynamics.
This research contributes two key insights. First, it demonstrates how material self-interest serves different purposes across community lines—fueling hostility among majorities while potentially being leveraged by minorities as a strategic advantage. Second, the article provides crucial context to ongoing debates about urban development and migration policies.
