This paper examines how immigration threat frames influence partisan views of democratic citizenship across three countries. Using embedded vignette surveys in the US, UK, and Germany, I show that immigration threats filter through partisanship differently in polarized societies.
US Democrats reacted most strongly against immigration threat framing by devaluing behavioral norms—such as voting and being informed—but maintaining liberal values otherwise.
UK Labour supporters demonstrated a contrasting response, repudiating liberal norms like tolerance while emphasizing national belonging.
In Germany, we observed the strongest consensus among citizens on how to respond to immigration threats—suggesting more unified reactions than in other countries.
These findings reveal that immigration threat framing is strategically deployed by different parties across political systems. The differential effects highlight a key tension: while all three societies experienced shifts toward traditionalist attitudes among the partisan left, Germany showed less divergence between parties and more alignment with core democratic values.
| Immigration Threat, Partisanship and Democratic Citizenship: Evidence from the US, UK, and Germany was authored by Sara Goodman. It was published by Sage in CPS in 2021. |
