Migrant deservingness as an emerging concept: Unveiling public views on asylum seeker settlement through conjoint analysis

Abstract

The growing diversity of migrant groups is highlighting a significant gap in migration studies: public perceptions towards migrants can no longer be understood through broad, generalized attitudes. Instead, these perceptions must be analyzed with attention to specific migrant characteristics that influence public support. Building on research on outgroup attitudes, particularly studies highlighting the importance of migrant deservingness, this article explores how different migrant characteristics affect individuals’ willingness to support the settlement of migrants in their country. Utilizing data from a conjoint experiment in Belgium (N = 3000), this study investigates how different attributes of asylum seekers, drawing on the CARIN criteria (Control, Attitude, Reciprocity, Identity, and Need), influence public perceptions of deservingness. Findings suggest that Control, Reciprocity, and Attitude are highly valued, with asylum seekers fleeing armed conflicts, those having steady jobs or those proficient in local languages being more likely to receive public support. Asylum seekers who were displaced due to climate change, were unemployed, or who did not speak the language were least likely to receive support. Additionally, older and right-wing respondents exhibited more restrictive attitudes, particularly against Muslim migrants and those from Africa and the Middle East, while younger and left-wing respondents were more inclusive, showing high support for migrants fleeing persecution and war. This research emphasizes the growing importance of considering different migrant characteristics in understanding public attitudes towards migrant settlement, aiming to offer a more comprehensive understanding of deservingness perceptions.