On the development of xenophobia in Germany: The adolescent years

Xenophobia is a widespread phenomenon around the world. Xenophobic incident s occurring in Germany, however; have always drawn high media attention for obvious historical reasons. The current article elaborates on the developm ent of xenophobia among German adolescents in the 1990s. Using survey data from a large, ongoing longitudinal study of youth from East and West Berlin , trends of change in adolescent xenophobia are analyzed. Two main hypothes es are tested, namely that the subterranean value orientation of market-ori ented economies, here called hierarchic self-interest, and low self-esteem are the driving forces behind xenophobia among 13- to 16-year-olds. In a tw o-wave cross-sectional study and a two-cohort longitudinal study, it is sho wn that individual preferences for hierarchic self-interest are indeed a po werful predictor of levels of xenophobia, though not of change, in the adol escent years under scrutiny. Admitting to a low self-esteem had an effect o pposite to the one hypothesized. Those youth most willing to describe thems elves as doubtful about their self were the ones with the lowest level and the least increase of xenophobia during the adolescent years. Context varia bles, like living in East as opposed to West Berlin or being on a disadvant aged school track, had a xenophobia-enhancing effect over and above hierarc hic self-interest and self-esteem.