Gender equality and attitudes towards immigrants in Europe: a cross-national analysis

Abstract

Although previous research has revealed the impact of individual and contextual elements on attitudes toward immigrants across Europe, a gender-focused study of European anti-immigrant attitudes is still lacking. This study examines the role of individuals’ gender and macro structures of gender equality in shaping attitudes toward immigrants through the diffusion of benevolent and universalist human values. Drawing on the European Social Survey 2018 and the 2020 Gender Equality Index for 24 European countries, more gender-equal countries are found to be more tolerant toward immigrants, due to their higher self-transcendent values and lower conservation values. Also, no gender differences in attitudes toward immigrants have been found. These findings open the debate on the relationship between gender, gender equality, basic human values, and attitudes toward immigrants, suggesting new avenues for future research.