Filzmaier, P., Perlot, F. Österreichischer Integrationsfonds (2017), Muslim groups in Austria. A comparision of the attitudes of refugees, migrants and Austrian born Muslims (Muslimische Gruppen in Österreich. Einstellungen von Flüchtlingen, ZuwanderInne
Country
Austria
Title
Year
Type of publication
Geographical coverage
National
Area/location of interest
Type of Institution
Public authority
Institution
Main Thematic Focus
Integration & inclusion
Target Population
Muslims
Key findings
The aim of the study was investigating the attitudes of Muslim persons in Austria to socio-political topics, like the role of the Islam in society, democracy, equality or gender roles. The study analysed similarities and differences between ethnic backgrounds (e.g. have Syrian refugee’s different attitudes than Austrians with a Bosnian migratory background?)
There are no or only few gender differences in answering the questions; there are differences along countries of origin: persons from Iran are more tolerant and moderate than persons from Chechenia and Turkey. The authors emphasise that these findings have to be seen as tendencies and not to be taken for granted.
Older respondents express more conservative attitudes than younger ones, the older ones also show more connection to the religion than the younger.
49% of all Turkish persons state that they feel disadvantaged because of their Muslim belief, 44% of all persons from Afghanistan, but only 22% of all persons from Iraq, 18% of all persons from Somalia and 16% of persons from Iran. 74% of all persons from Somalia believe that the Islam should play a strong role in society, but only 10% of persons from Iran believe this.
Methodology (Qualitative/Quantitative and exact type used, questionnaires etc)
CAPI survey, carried out by the survey organisation EthnOpinion, data gathering between 22 December 2016 and 28 February 2017
Only interviewers with migratory background, who are specially trained in interviewing refugees, were recruited. The questionnaire consists of 30 closed questions and was translated into different languages.
The respondents were confronted with provocative statements (misogyny, anti-Semitic, pro-violence)
Sample details and representativeness
Quantitative survey among 1,005 persons, for which the following criteria apply: aged 16 and older, Muslim (self-identification), Turkish or Bosnian background or refugee status (thereby mainly persons from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Somalia). The group of Chechens was not accessible and thus a follow-up survey was carried out in May 2017 only among Chechens. The selection of countries of origin is according to the official asylum statistics from the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Sample is not representative for all Muslims living in Austria. Snowballing procedure was applied to identify more interviewees. Still sample offers first insights into the attitudes of different groups of Muslims.
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