Nationalisms and Anti-immigrant Sentiment in Spain

This article explores links between nationalism and immigrant exclusionism in Spain's 17 Comunidades Autonomas. Drawing from social identity and marginality theories and using Analisis Sociologicos, Economicos y Politicos (ASEP), 1991-2000 data results show that strong national-regional identification is a predictor of anti-immigrant sentiment among Basques, Catalans and Galicians, but not in the remaining Comunidades Autonomas. Basques, Catalans and Galicians who strongly identify with region of residence are more likely to express immigrant exclusionism than those identifying 'as regional as Spanish'. Simultaneously, 'Spanish only' respondents did not yield statistically significant results in favouring exclusionism as compared with those with dual identification across all regions.