Cultural values and attitudes towards immigrants in Europe

Immigration is one of the most controversial social issues debated nowadays. It is an undeniable fact that it is lived in Europe with concern because of its consequences. People who live in Europe represent a huge cultural and social variety; social and cultural gaps that can affect the fundamental values of the western societies seem to be inevitable due to the dimensions of the current migration phenomenon. The study we will present here is based on the European Social Survey Questionnaire (2002) and the Portrait Values Questionnaire (Schwartz, 2001). We will try to emphasize the importance of cultural values for any initiative or social policy aimed at reducing the problems around immigration in Europe.