This thesis investigates the relationship between knowledge about the asylum system and attitudes
towards asylum politics among Danish high school students. Three main questions are examined:
1) What do young people in high school know about the asylum system?
2) How is this knowledge related to attitudes on asylum politics?
3) To what extent do students change their attitudes when presented with
more information about the asylum system?
The thesis contributes to the existing literature on attitudes towards ethnic minorities in different ways.
Firstly, the thesis focuses exclusively on attitudes towards asylum seekers, unlike the bulk of the existing
literature that does not differentiate between immigrants and refugees. Secondly, in the literature,
knowledge about the asylum system as well as the role that such knowledge plays for attitudes is
scarcely examined. As the thesis is based on experimental data it is possible not only to examine an initial relationship between attitudes and beliefs, but also to examine potential causal relations between
the two.
The thesis is also relevant on a broader societal level: Asylum politics is heavily debated in the media,
just as immigration politics in general – thus it is important to know to what extent attitudes are based
on knowledge. If attitudes build on very limited knowledge or outright false beliefs there is a case for
qualifying the debate with more information. The data used is a quantitative material collected for the thesis in 36 first year high school classes spread
over the five Danish geographic regions. A total of 905 high school students participated in the main
survey while 142 participated in a follow up survey that was conducted 2-3 weeks after the main survey.
The quantitative data was supplemented by group discussions in selected classes. Data was collected
October-December 2012.
All students first completed a questionnaire containing questions on their attitudes towards asylum
politics, their more general attitudes, and their knowledge or beliefs about the asylum system.
After completing the questionnaire, students watched two short information movies on the asylum
system. The first movie contained basic information about the Danish asylum system, refugee law, and
numbers of people seeking asylum. There were three options for the second movie: A thematic movie
with either a personal, a national or an international perspective. The sample of classes was split into
three, corresponding to the three options for the second movie.
Having watched the movies, all students completed a second questionnaire, answering the same
questions on asylum politics as before, as well as filling in background information.
The follow-up survey consisted of a third questionnaire sent out via email 2-3 weeks later to students
who had indicated they would be willing to participate. In the online survey students were asked the same questions about asylum politics.
The study yielded a range of interesting results:
Firstly, regarding knowledge, on one hand most students are able to tell the difference between
refugees and other immigrants. On the other hand, most students fail to give correct answers regarding
the numbers of people seeking asylum and regarding basic rules for the granting of asylum. It is
especially worth noting that 64% of the students think that asylum is being granted to people fleeing
poverty, hunger or natural disasters – that is, reasons that are not related to persecution. Further, 91%
believe that asylum is granted after flight from war, though according to national practice, war is not per
se reason enough to get asylum. When it comes to the number of people seeking asylum, the majority of
the students overestimate the number, some to a very large extent. Secondly, the relationship between beliefs and attitudes is examined. With multivariate statistical
analysis, controlling for relevant background characteristics, it is confirmed that beliefs among students
are significantly connected to attitudes. Students believing that rules are lax, especially students believing that asylum is granted for being poor are significantly more likely to hold that Denmark
should grant asylum to fewer people. Likewise, the higher numbers students guess at, the stricter their
attitudes towards granting asylum.
Thirdly, after getting more information about the asylum system, students in all groups hold
significantly more positive attitudes in terms of receiving asylum seekers. For those students that hold
the most negative attitudes from the outset, significant differences in attitude changes exist depending
on what thematic movie they watch. Students who watch the personal thematic movie change attitudes
to a larger extent than students who watch the national thematic movie. Again, the model is controlled
for relevant background factors. Attitudes on receiving refugees in the follow-up survey are less
positive than those recorded right after the movie, however more positive than the initial attitudes.
While there are no significant changes between the initial attitudes and the follow-up on average,
differences are found for students who hold negative attitudes from the outset. These students become significantly more positive towards receiving asylum seekers.
The results of the analysis are discussed against the backdrop of ethical and social-psychological theory.
Drawing first on the Danish philosopher K.E. Løgstrup it is argued that the connection between
attitudes and beliefs can be understood in basic ethical terms: When people conceive that others are in
grave need, they are more likely to feel inclined to helping them. This can explain why students who
initially know that only people fleeing ‘severe hardship’ will qualify for asylum are more likely to be
willing to receive asylum seekers.
The results are also discussed in the light of social psychologist Gordon W. Allport’s theory on
prejudice and group relations. The information given through the study is countering factually false
beliefs about the asylum system, but is not intended at reducing prejudice against asylum seekers on a
more emotional level. However, a reduction of prejudice might have been a side effect of the movies.
One result pointing in this direction is that students who watch the movie with personal testimonies
from asylum seekers are the ones to change attitudes to the largest extent. The thesis concludes with a broader discussion on asylum politics, cosmopolitan ethics and its critics,
and ends up with general recommendations for school professionals, journalists, politicians alike to
work in order to ensure that the debate on asylum politics is taking place on an informed level.