Research Article Open Access

Rural and Urban Attitudes toward Immigrants in the U.S. Midwest and Great Plains

Miguel Ceballos1, Oksana Yakushko2 and Courtney Lyons2
  • 1 West Chester University of Pennsylvania, United States
  • 2 , United States

Abstract

Recent immigration has transformed much of the Midwest and Great Plains regions of the United States, affecting its rural and urban areas through dramatic increases in the foreign-born population and in particular Latino immigrant populations. This study examines three theories of prejudice: Perceptions of threat, contact with immigrants and a cosmopolitanism outlook, in predicting rural and urban attitudes toward immigrants in Nebraska, a state experiencing a substantial rise in immigrant populations. We use a large, randomly drawn sample of individuals across the state of Nebraska. Using ordinary least squares methods we show that the effects of perceived threat, contact and a cosmopolitan outlook vary within and between rural and urban areas of the state. Perceived threat was found to have the greatest negative effects on attitudes toward immigrants for those who live in small cities and the open country or on farms, while contact with immigrants and a cosmopolitan outlook was found to have the greatest positive effect on attitudes for those living in large cities and for towns. Implications for growing the Latino population are discussed.

Journal of Social Sciences
Volume 10 No. 4, 2014, 150-161

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/jssp.2014.150.161

Submitted On: 27 September 2014 Published On: 7 January 2015

How to Cite: Ceballos, M., Yakushko, O. & Lyons, C. (2014). Rural and Urban Attitudes toward Immigrants in the U.S. Midwest and Great Plains. Journal of Social Sciences, 10(4), 150-161. https://doi.org/10.3844/jssp.2014.150.161

  • 3,339 Views
  • 2,625 Downloads
  • 0 Citations

Download

Keywords

  • Attitudes
  • Immigrants
  • Prejudice
  • Rural
  • Urban