Chair of Methods of Comparative Cross-National Social Research

Course Recommendation WS 26/27

Who Is Afraid of Foreigners?

Why do people develop negative attitudes toward immigrants and foreigners, and how can we explain differences across countries and societies?

In this seminar, students from the University of Cologne and Tel Aviv University work together in international groups to discuss and critically examine research on attitudes toward foreigners in Germany, Israel, and beyond. Each group brings together students from both universities, creating an opportunity not only to engage with key theories and empirical findings, but also to compare perspectives across different social and political contexts.

The course combines academic learning with international exchange and collaborative group work. Students will explore how factors such as values, identities, perceived threats, social contexts, and political environments shape attitudes toward immigrants and out-groups.

Eldad Davidov is responsible for the Cologne student group, while Professor Anastasia Gorodzeisky from Tel Aviv University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, https://people.socsci.tau.ac.il/mu/anastasiagorodzeisky/, is responsible for the Tel Aviv student group. The international group work brings the two groups together throughout the course.