Complex and contradictory accounts: the social representations of immigrants and ethnic minorities held by Irish teenagers

Sinead Meade, Michael O'Connell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Demographic change in Ireland has been met by ambivalent responses among the Irish public. Following the work of Potter and Wetherell, we argue that this ambivalence extends to the views held not just between different people but within the views of individuals. This variability is a problem for traditional attitude research with its assumption of individual attitudinal consistency. This paper explores inconsistency and dissonance in the Social Representations (SRs) held by Irish teenagers towards immigrants and minorities assessed via a qualitative focus group design. A total of 64 white Irish students participated. They ranged from 14 to 18 years of age. Mean age was 15 years and 8 months. The analysis supported the idea that complex and contradictory SRs helped participants understand, organise and communicate their views on immigration and allowed participants to (a) rationalise anxiety and negative arguments while (b) allowing discussants to appear to offer fair, socially competent and desirable responses.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)70-85
JournalTranslocations: Migration and Social Change
Volume4
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 01 Dec 2008

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