Suchergebnisse

This article examines the nature of group identity in order to gain insight into the character and quality of intergroup contacts, particularly the conditions for positive contacts between members of different ethnic groups. An important conception underlying the discussion is that identity is not a stable construct or fixed essence, but rather is discursive in nature and turns upon how individuals and collectivities distinguish themselves in their relations with other individuals and collectivities. Both resemblance and difference are thus essential principles of social identity, while ethnic identity is distinct from culture and may be analyzed as a form of social organization. This heightens the importance of the degree of permeability of group boundaries, and of one's relation with their own ethnic group, in minimizing prejudice and fostering interethnic relations. Analysis of field interviews with members of Bulgarian and Bulgarian Turkish ethnic groups provided the basis for the theoretical discussion concerning intergroup contacts. The interviews also serve to illustrate the inverse relationship between intergroup contacts and prejudices, as well as the fact that insofar as intergroup ethnic conflicts and perceived differences occur between narrative constructs, they can be transformed and resolved through openness towards differences and dialogue.

In the past year the international political and social situation changed significantly in Europe and its surrounding regions. The consequences are yet to unfold on a national and local level in terms of individual and societal notions and orientations within the complex events we are facing today. There is an increased number of displaced people due to dramatic events in their home countries, moving to Europe to seek refuge or better economic conditions. This has stimulated the emergence of attitudes, fears, representations within social groups and communities under various forms and often propagated and constructed by mass media, social networks and so on. Societies have gradually orientated towards accepting the diversity of ethnic groups, cultures and religions in the European countries. An increased number of citizens, however, including academics, cultural or other public figures oppose the coming of refugees and migrants and stand against politics of acceptance and recognition of incomers, both on a national and European level.

The wide range of transformations subsequent to the enlargements of the European community reverberate in all important spheres of the way of life. The individual and social psychic experience the important influence of the enlargement processes and so do the interhuman, intergroup and cross-cultural relations. To a mutual intergroup tolerance and the lacking conflicts integration of foreign citizens, of immigrants and refugees in a certain country, lead the importance of a collective European identity and the formation of commonly shared values, norms and rules. This is found to be a controversial and uneasy process. Social knowledge and social psychology in particular could help elaborate new models of relations on a supra-individual level directed toward research on collective phenomena through interdisciplinary approach.

The dynamically ongoing processes of integration are among the crucial premises for the development of contemporary interpersonal, intergroup and cross-cultural relations, attitudes, conflicts and more. The research problem here directs to an analysis, based on ESS data collected in 8 countries, rounds 2006 and 2008, on the extent to which Europeans' personal orientations significantly influence the attitudes towards ethno-national diversity, in this case, towards two social groups: immigrants coming from poorer countries outside Europe and people with different sexual orientation. Furthermore, the influence of the same factors on the civic activeness and involvement in the social-political processes has been followed. Through regressive analysis the important effect of the co-otherness orientation (a concept developed by Sicakkan, 2003), the orientation to success and traditionalism on all included dependent variables has been proved. The expectations for predicting effects of the three personal orientations have been confirmed regarding the civic involvement and tolerance to diversity. Simultaneously the necessity of working EU politics to deal with the risks of emerging negative attitudes has been pointed out in relation to the broad immigrant and refugee wave to European countries.
Key words: attitudes towards immigrants, civic activeness, co-otherness.