Threatened by the “Other”? Swiss Integration Policies and Citizens’ Perceptions of Migrants Through the Lens of Reflective Solidarity

Abstract

Switzerland’s federal structure offers a unique context to examine how cantonal integration policies shape citizens’ perceptions of migrants. While research has linked integration policies and citizens’ attitudes, it often neglects subnational variation. Moreover, dominant theories, like intergroup threat, explain negative perceptions but offer limited tools to overcome them. This paper proposes reflective solidarity as a mechanism: it may emerge in inclusive policy environments, where lower levels of perceived threat make horizontal civic bonds more likely, enabling a shift from exclusionary ‘us vs. them’ framings to a collective ‘we’. In contrast to polarized narratives that reinforce boundaries, this framework underscores how inclusive policies can foster integration and collective belonging. Based on cantonal policy analysis and survey data, this study shows that more inclusive policies are associated with reduced perceptions of both realistic and symbolic threat. Reflective solidarity provides a valuable perspective for understanding how policy can reshape intergroup relations.