This proposal intends to provide for a psychological explanation for the electoral success of xenophobic parties without falling back on the obvious if not circular explanation that xenophobic parties are supported by xenophobic people. Such explanation does not account for the fact that in Spain, for example, xenophobic attitudes are widespread, while the electoral support for the extreme right is, as yet, non-existent. Central concepts in this research are social isolation and etnic nationalism. The proposal consists of a simultaneous study in five capitals of Western Europe of the relation between perceived social isolation, ethnic nationalism, cultural distance and preference for extreme right parties. Aims at studying processes of social exclusion within the university context.
Universities are centres of study and learning.
Rejecting slanted views and fallacious convictions is part of the very process of acquiring veridical knowledge. Ideally, according to the international academic community, knowledge that is produced at the universities should be universal and should not be governed by specific political ideologies. Main objective of this project is to assess how processes of discrimination and social exclusion operate within the university system. A second aim will be to find methods to counteract malfunctionings of such a kind. The project is highly relevant with regard to evaluation of the efficiency of exchange programmes intended to promote European integration.