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Attitudes Toward Migration and Migrants in Sweden During Years of Escalating Gang Crime

How has the public debate on crime influenced general opinion regarding views on migration and migrants in Sweden? The project aims to result in policy-relevant insights to be presented in 2025.

The project examines Swedish attitudes toward migration and migrants during a period of increasing gang-related crime. The study is based on Eurobarometer data highlighting crime as a key concern for Swedes and analyzes how the public debate, often linking gang crime to migration, may have influenced public opinion. Despite escalating crime rates, previous data from Delmi and the SOM Institute indicate that acceptance of migration has remained relatively stable, although certain changes and potential polarization may exist within specific groups.

The focus is on analyzing nuances in attitudes, such as differences between opinions on the level of migration and perceptions of migrants as individuals, as well as the relationship with factors like perceived safety and experiences of crime. The study adopts a descriptive approach and primarily uses time-series data from Gallup World Poll (GWP), aiming to provide policy-relevant insights in a policy brief to be completed by August 2025.

Duration

2025

Principal Investigator

Göran Holmqvist PhD, Peace- and Development Research

Funding

The Migration Studies Delegation (Delmi)