Immigration in the Court of Public Opinion

Jack Citrin is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of California, BerkeleyMorris Levy is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Southern CaliforniaMatthew Wright is Associate Professor in Political Behaviour at the University of British Columbia

• PrefaceChapter 1: Who Are We Now?Chapter 2: Moderation, Malleability, and the Myth of Warring CampsChapter 3: MotivationsChapter 4: Assimilation Then and NowChapter 5: American Exceptionalism?Chapter 6: ConclusionNotes

“Immigration in the Court of Public Opinion is that rare book that clears away the rhetorical fog obscuring the public’s views on a hotly contested issue. With lucid data analysis and compelling logic, the book shows brilliantly that the polarization over immigration in the political elite is not matched in the opinions of the great mass of Americans, who cluster around a middle ground solidly anchored in core American values. The book is a paragon of the clarity of reasoning and evidence that good social science can bring to the public square.”Richard Alba, Graduate Center, CUNY“Immigration in the Court of Public Opinion is a timely reassessment of Americans' attitudes about immigration policy, immigrants themselves, and their effects on many aspects of American society. Citrin and his collaborators provide us with the most accessible, sophisticated, current, and analytically informed data available. It will immediately become the standard reference in the field, informing social scientists, policymakers, media commentators, and private citizens and illuminating countless public debates on one of the most important issues of our time. I have already used it in my own work on immigration policy.”Peter H. Schuck, Yale and NYU Law Schools“Looking beyond the loud certainties of immigration policy debates, this book explores an alternate reality. With a deep analysis of extensive survey findings, Citrin, Levy, and Wright offer an authoritative account of public opinion on immigration across many dimensions. Most Americans, they find, express nuance, conflict, and uncertainty even as they embrace pluralism and generosity. An excellent distillation.”Roberto Suro, University of Southern California