Cultural values and international migration

Abstract

Immigration is one of the most controversial social issues debated nowadays. It is an undeniable fact that the phenomenon is lived in Europe with concern because of its consequences. People who live and coexist in Europe represent a huge cultural variety. Therefore, social and cultural gaps that can affect the basic values of the western societies seem to be inevitable due to the dimensions of the current migration phenomenon. The present studies are based on the European Social Survey Questionnaire (2002), and the Portrait Values Questionnaire (Schwartz, 1992, 2001) and focuses on the relevance of cultural values to explain the acceptance or rejection of the immigrant.. Finally, we emphasize the importance of cultural values -like Harmony or Egalitarianism- for any initiative or social policy which aimes at reducing the problems concerning inmigration in the European context.