Attitudes Toward Immigrants in Ghana: Does Xenophobia Matter?

Abstract

Current research on immigrant relations with native-born citizens suggests a strong association between xenophobia and attitudes toward immigrants. However, it is unclear whether xenophobia influences attitudes toward immigrants in non-Western and non-Southern African countries experiencing a surge in immigrants. I employ mixed sampling techniques and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression to examine factors associated with pro-immigration attitudes among 864 Ghanaians in a large metropolis. Results indicate that xenophobia, ethnicity, and religiosity are associated with pro-immigration attitudes among study participants. The current findings provide preliminary evidence on ways by which policymakers can help create a safe climate for immigrants to thrive.

Keywords:

• Immigrants
• xenophobia
• ethnicity
• religiosity
• inter-group relations

Disclosure statement

The author declares no competing interests in the preparation of this article.

Notes

1 2021 Population and Housing census in Ghana (https://census2021.statsghana.gov.gh/).