Dealing with diversity : Adolescents' support for civil liberties and immigrant rights

Abstract

The main aim of this project was to increase our understanding of adolescents’ support for civil liberties and minority rights. Within democratic societies, this topic is of great importance. To ensure that all citizens can participate and to sustain democratic involvement, modern, liberal democracies guarantee all their citizens’ specific rights, such as freedom of speech and association. As a consequence, individuals have to be able to deal with diversity of beliefs, opinions and lifestyles, and to some extent with conflict, disagreement, and difference (Helwig & Yuang, forthcoming). In the Netherlands, but also in other European countries, social and political debates center on Muslim immigrant groups. Muslims in Europe are often perceived as a group whose religious practices are incompatible with Western liberal values. In addition, research findings indicate that among adolescents high levels of prejudice and explicit negative opinions toward Muslims exist (e.g., Velasco Gonzalez, et al., 2008). Tolerance is a minimal necessity for harmonious intergroup relations and the functioning of a civil society. The findings of this dissertation indicate that acceptance of minority group practices and the endorsement of civil liberties depends on what adolescents are actually asked to accept. In addition, the findings of this study underline the need to take the intergroup situation into account. Adolescents’ attachment to their national group affects not only the extent to which they accept cultural diversity – both in general and in specific situations – but also the way in which they evaluate situations. Furthermore, general beliefs about the degree to which diversity in society should be accommodated play an important role in the acceptance of minority group practices.