Perceived Threat of a Linguistic Community and Context Effect on Attitude toward Immigration in Hong Kong
In: Asian Journal of Social ScienceSearch for other papers by Francis L.F. Lee in
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Search for other papers by Hai Liang in
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Abstract
Typically grounded in a discussion of contact vs. threat theory, much research has examined the impact of the presence of ethnic minorities in residential contexts on people’s attitude toward immigration. Yet, there has not been much evidence regarding whether the presence of a linguistically-defined minority can create similar impact under specific political conditions. This article examines Hong Kong, where the arrival of immigrants from mainland China has aroused controversies. The presence of Mandarin speakers, under the contemporary conditions, could be perceived as representing the cultural threat posed by China onto the city. Data from representative surveys were combined with district-level census data. The analysis shows that people living in a district with higher proportions of residents using Mandarin as the usual spoken language indeed favored more restrictive immigration policies. Contextual presence of Mandarin speakers also moderated the impact of tolerance and holding of negative stereotypes on attitude toward immigration.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
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Perceived Threat of a Linguistic Community and Context Effect on Attitude toward Immigration in Hong Kong
In: Asian Journal of Social ScienceSearch for other papers by Francis L.F. Lee in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Hai Liang in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Typically grounded in a discussion of contact vs. threat theory, much research has examined the impact of the presence of ethnic minorities in residential contexts on people’s attitude toward immigration. Yet, there has not been much evidence regarding whether the presence of a linguistically-defined minority can create similar impact under specific political conditions. This article examines Hong Kong, where the arrival of immigrants from mainland China has aroused controversies. The presence of Mandarin speakers, under the contemporary conditions, could be perceived as representing the cultural threat posed by China onto the city. Data from representative surveys were combined with district-level census data. The analysis shows that people living in a district with higher proportions of residents using Mandarin as the usual spoken language indeed favored more restrictive immigration policies. Contextual presence of Mandarin speakers also moderated the impact of tolerance and holding of negative stereotypes on attitude toward immigration.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1256 | 259 | 33 |
| Full Text Views | 167 | 13 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 249 | 26 | 0 |
