Toward a Theoretical Understanding of Ethnic Antagonism: The Case of the Foreign Workers in Switzerland / Zum theoretischen Verständnis ethnischer Konflikte: Der Fall der ausländischen Arbeitnehmer in der Schweiz
Author(s) : Isidor Wallimann
Source : https://doi.org/10.1515/zfsoz-1974-0107
Abstract
“Import of foreign labor (mainly from Southern Europe) has been a common phenomenon for Northern European countries in the post-WW II period. A prime example is Switzerland. The problems connected withthis migration of labor are manyfold. One major problem is the ethnic antagonism towards foreign workers by the native population. Theoretically, the origins of this antagonism can be explained by making use of some premises of exchange theory, and by considering the consequences of competition on the labor market. Within this framework of analysis, it is also possible to show how the various forms of institutional of organizational antagonism are functionally related to individual antagonism. Therefore, to understand ethnic antagonism and its origins and consequences one must look at all forms of ethnic antagonism simultaneously. How this can be done is shown in this paper.”