How Sub/National Identities Shape Immigration Views

How do people’s combined subnational and national identities shape views toward immigration? A strong national identity can result in positive or negative opinions toward newcomers, depending on how the national group perceives and defines belonging. Rightfully or wrongfully, minority nations with strong subnational identification have often been associated with expressions of ethnic-based nationalism, relating to more negative views toward newcomers. We test these claims in Québec and Catalonia—two minority nations where immigrants represent respectively about 15% and 25% of the population. Newcomers are outsiders to the minority nation and to the country, en route to belonging to an in-group within an in-group. Using representative survey data collected in Quebec in 2019 (N=1450) and Catalonia in 2023 (N=2000), we compare how the intensity of national identification with the state (Canada, Spain) and subnational identification with the minority nation (Québec, Cataluña) relate to more positive or negative views toward immigrants and immigration. Depending on current residents’ openness to newcomers determines the extent to which immigrants have a chance to belong.