Comparative Xenophobia: Tolerance in Denmark and the Rest of Europe

With Danes becoming known for their xenophobia and intolerance, a reputation that can be traced in the media, this study tries to make sense of the divergent attitudes by analysing media reports in neighbouring countries and by interviewing their journalists and politicians. This title examines sour [...]
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With Danes becoming known for their xenophobia and intolerance, a reputation that can be traced in the media, this study tries to make sense of the divergent attitudes by analysing media reports in neighbouring countries and by interviewing their journalists and politicians. This title examines sources in the media, foreign politicians' remarks and reports from the Council of Europe and the EU Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, to which it adds some comparative surveys from the social sciences. One of its major fndings is that xenophobia is multidimensional. For instance, while Danish people might be quite hestitant to admit immigrants to their country, in contrast to the Germans, for example, once they have admitted them, Danes tend to encourage the full participation of immigrants in social and political life and don't consider extradition an option. In this study, the author tries to make sense of the divergent attitudes by analysing media reports in neighbouring countries (Norway, Sweden, Germany and the UK) and by interviewing their journalists and politicians.One source of perpetual difference that emerges is the varying nature of political discourse in each country. While the EUMC considers references to problems with immigration a form of subtle racism, the Danish love of teasing and black humour means that media and politicians often refer to the downside of immigration, even when they favour immigration. In contrast, the Swedish press tends to avoid such references, and the language of their political discourse tends to be much more formal and respectful, even when the motivating sentiments are not. This title should interest anyone who is caught up in the debates of ethnicity and tolerance that animate so many first world societies in transition, whether their interest is sociological, cultural or political.