Immigration and the American Ethos (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology)

Above and beyond the influence of prejudice and ethno-nationalism, perceptions of 'civic fairness' shape how most Americans navigate immigration controversies. What do Americans want from immigration policy and why? In the rise of a polarized and acrimonious immigration debate, leading accounts see racial anxieties and disputes over the meaning of American nationhood coming to a head. The resurgence of parochial identities has breathed new life into old worries about the vulnerability of the American Creed. This book tells a different story, one in which creedal values remain hard at work in shaping ordinary Americans' judgements about immigration. Levy and Wright show that perceptions of civic fairness - based on multiple, often competing values deeply rooted in the country's political culture - are the dominant guideposts by which most Americans navigate immigration controversies most of the time and explain why so many Americans simultaneously hold a mix of pro-immigrant and anti-immigrant positions. The authors test the relevance and force of the theory over time and across issue domains "What do Americans want from immigration policy, and why? In the rise of a polarized and acrimonious immigration debate, leading accounts see racial anxieties and disputes over the meaning of American nationhood coming to a head. The apparent resurgence of parochial identities has breathed new life into old worries about the vulnerability of the American Creed to "tribalism." This book tells a different story, one in which creedal values remain hard at work in shaping ordinary Americans' judgments about immigration. It shows that the values of individualism, egalitarianism, humanitarianism, and the rule of law are central to Americans' beliefs about what the political community owes to its aspiring members and what they owe in return. These perceptions of "civic fairness" are the dominant guideposts by which most Americans navigate immigration controversies most of the time"-- Provided by publisher 01.0_pp_i_i_Immigration_and_the_American_Ethos 1 02.0_pp_ii_ii_Cambridge_Studies_in_Public_Opinion_and_Political_Psychology 5 03.0_pp_iii_iii_Immigration_and_the_American_Ethos 9 04.0_pp_iv_iv_Copyright_page 13 05.0_pp_v_vi_Contents 17 06.0_pp_vii_viii_Figures 19 07.0_pp_ix_x_Tables 21 08.0_pp_xi_xiv_Preface 23 09.0_pp_xv_xx_Prologue 27 10.0_pp_1_24_What_Do_Americans_Want_from_Immigration_Policy_and_Why 33 11.0_pp_25_60_Civic_Fairness_and_Group-Centrism 57 12.0_pp_61_85_Functional_Assimilation_Humanitarianism_and_Support_for_Legal_Admissions 93 13.0_pp_86_124_Civic_Fairness_and_the_LegalIllegal_Divide 118 14.0_pp_125_141_Civic_Fairness_and_Ethnic_Stereotypes 157 15.0_pp_142_168_Assimilation_Civic_Fairness_and_the_Circle_of_We 174 16.0_pp_169_184_Conclusion 201 17.0_pp_185_208_Notes 217 18.0_pp_209_226_Bibliography 241 19.0_pp_227_231_Index 259 20.0_pp_232_232_Books_in_the_series 264 What do Americans want from immigration policy and why? The conventional wisdom emphasizes the influence of prejudice and ethno-nationalism. This book challenges that view, arguing that, for the most part, commitment to the American creed guides public opinion on immigration and explains seemingly ambivalent views across different controversies. What do Americans want from immigration policy, and why? -- Civic fairness and group centrism -- Functional assimilation, humanitarianism and support for legal admissions -- Civic fairness and the legal-illegal divide -- Civic fairness and ethnic stereotypes -- Assimilation, civic fairness and the "circle of we" -- Conclusion