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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

assimilation, multiculturalism, French attitudes, immigration

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Sociology

Abstract

Through the use of the 2008 European Values study Dr. Forste and I initially examined factors associated with France’s nationalistic and assimilative tendencies by modeling how religiosity, education levels, and socioeconomic status predict French attitudes towards immigration. Our results showed that religiosity and spirituality played a dynamic and intriguing role in immigration attitudes. As a result of these findings I first attended and presented a poster at the Mary Lou Fulton conference here at Brigham Young. Our research in France has lead to an expansion of our initial findings and we have since gone on to further examine the effects of religiosity and spirituality on immigration attitudes in all of Europe. Dr. Forste and I have worked closely together and are currently preparing a submission for the Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion. Interestingly, our primary results have shown that spirituality plays a large role in people’s acceptance and tolerance of immigrants and their respective cultures. Conversely, religiosity appears to have a slight negative effect on immigration attitudes. So we have observed that those who are spiritual but not overly religious tend to be more tolerant towards immigrants. We hope to further our studies of immigrant attitudes and spirituality this summer in London as we examine the different components of National Identity in Great Britain.

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