Terror, Immigration, and Civil Liberties in the United States: Small Grant for Exploratory Research

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

This project, submitted under the Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) program, will examine public attitudes toward immigration and civil liberties following the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In particular, this project will examine public attitudes regarding the freedoms of Muslims in the United States, as well as public attitudes about the arrival of new immigrants from Muslim countries. Using a panel survey of 1,000 adult respondents, the principal investigator will probe attitudes toward security and freedom. A split sample design will be employed to determine differences in attitudes toward restrictions on freedom broadly in contrast to those applied to Muslims. The principal investigator will also test hypotheses about attitudes on immigration. In addition to economic and social explanations of these attitudes, the survey will allow the study of feelings of personal safety.