Abstract
This contribution investigates the socially conservative attitudes of newly arrived immigrants from Poland in two Western European countries, Ireland and the Netherlands, with a particular interest in the selective nature of out-migration along non-economic factors and attitude change after migration. It focuses on attitudes towards homosexuality, which remain on average less accepting amongst Polish natives than those of these two residence countries. First, we infer from comparisons between migrants and non-migrants residing in the origin country whether a selection effect of migrants with a more liberal attitude exists. We find that there is evidence for selective out-migration that remains when controlling for pre-migration characteristics. Second, using data collected shortly after arrival of immigrants and from a second wave one and a half years later in the residence country, we show whether immigrants adapt to the norms of the residence country and to what extent they maintain the dominant attitudes of the origin country. We find that attitudinal changes after migration are associated with the level of social integration in the country of residence and maintenance of religious involvement.
Source: Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, first published online 24 March 2015
