| Popis: |
Terrorism has been shown to have a destabilizing impact upon the citizens of the nation-state in which it occurs, causing social distress, fear, and the desire for retribution (Cesari, 2010; Chebel d’Appollonia, 2012). Much of the recent work on 21st century terrorism carried out in the global north has placed the focus on terrorism being perpetuated by Middle East Muslims. In addition, recent migration trends show that the global north is becoming much more diverse as the highly populated global south migrates upward. Population growth in the global north is primarily due to increases in the minority presence, and these post-1960 changes have increased the diversity of historically more homogeneous nations like the United Kingdom and Canada. This research examines the influence of terrorism on discriminatory attitudes and behaviors, with a focus on the United Kingdom in the aftermath of the July 7, 2005 terrorist attacks in London. Competing theoretical explanations for the increase in discrimination were tested, including Nationalism theory, Authoritarianism theory, and Integrated Threat theory. Using various international social surveys and a difference-in-differences statistical strategy, this study compares trends in attitudes and behaviors in the United Kingdom to those in Canada, a politically and socially similar nation-state that (at the time of this study) had not experienced a major terrorist attack. Hate crimes data is also used to analyze discriminatory behaviors. The empirical findings suggest there was a rise in Islamophobia and racism in the United Kingdom against visible minorities in the aftermath of the July 7, 2005 terrorist attacks. Difference-in-differences modeling shows that while Authoritarianism offers important theoretical insights on the motivation of terrorism on authoritarian attitudes in Canada; Nationalism theory, in the form of ethnic nationalism, is an important influence on discriminatory attitudes and behaviors in the UK. Findings also suggest that Nationalism theory is the most likely basis for the observed increases in discrimination in the UK. |
