Social trust among non-Nordic immigrant youth – does context matter?

Abstract

The question of whether ethnic heterogeneity impedes or enhances general trust has been studied extensively among the general population and among school-youth, but seldom among people in their 20s. This age group is however interesting, as they are less shielded than school-youth and also not yet established in society as adults. I examine how individual level trust, especially among non-Nordic 25-29 year olds, is affected by exposure to ethnic heterogeneity in local community. The analysis shows, first, generally that immigrant youth in this age group have significantly lower levels of trust than Swedes. Second, the share of immigrants in context seems to have different effect in the city and in the countryside.