CRIME, THREAT, AND SECURITY: IMMIGRANTS AS LABORERS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND GOOD NEIGHBORS

Using in-depth interview data from 48 native-born whites and content analysis data from 170 newspaper articles, I examine how immigrants are perceived and portrayed in two communities in Western New York (one rural, the other urban). I found that comments about immigrants were mostly positive. Along the dimensions of crime, culture, and work, they were seen as contributors rather than as invaders. Responses fell into three categories: (1) immigrants were laborers, entrepreneurs, and good neighbors, (2) immigrants were welcome in the community, and (3) immigrants were not criminal or national security threats. I argue that two community factors play a role in these perceptions: instrumentality and isolation. In short, rural farmers discussed their needs for migrant workers and city dwellers accepted the role migrants play in revitalizing their neighborhood. I explore these themes and discuss how they may influence positive perceptions of immigrants in today’s anti-immigrant climate. The data (including the newspaper data) suggest that threat is less salient when communities depend economically on migrants and when they are isolated; moreover, historical moments, social settings, and circumstances influence sentiment. In both locations, these factors create conditions of zero-sum mobility in which immigrants’ successes are not equated with competition. This study contributes to the literatures on group threat, threat perceptions, and threat narratives by focusing on how community factors shape perceptions of refugees and migrant workers.

Grantor dc:publisher

State University of New York at Buffalo

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Rabii, Watoii

Contributors dc:contributor

• Adelman, Robert
• Sociology

• sociology

Statement dc:rights

• Users of works found in University at Buffalo Institutional Repository (UBIR) are responsible for identifying and contacting the copyright owner for permission to reuse. University at Buffalo Libraries do not manage rights for copyright-protected works and cannot assist with permissions.
• Copyright retained by author.

Language dc:language

eng

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10477/78058

OAI record oai:identifier

https://ubir.buffalo.edu/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=qdc&identifier=oai%3Aubir.buffalo.edu%3A10477%2F78058