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Joe Biden’s weird insistence that the U.S. is the only non-xenophobic country in the world Joe Biden’s weird insistence that the U.S. is the only non-xenophobic country in the world
(about 1 hour later)
Vice President Biden was in Iowa this week, doing something that looked suspiciously like presidential campaigning. While speaking at Drake University in Des Moines on Thursday, he struck a populist tone, and even made his very first gaffe of the 2016 campaign ("butt buddies").Vice President Biden was in Iowa this week, doing something that looked suspiciously like presidential campaigning. While speaking at Drake University in Des Moines on Thursday, he struck a populist tone, and even made his very first gaffe of the 2016 campaign ("butt buddies").
As a journalist who writes about foreign policy, however, it was something else that stood out. Biden, while talking about President Obama's immigration reform, told the audience that the United States was the "only country in the world that isn't xenophobic." For a journalist who writes about foreign policy, however, it was something else that stood out. Biden, while talking about President Obama's immigration reform, told the audience that the United States was the "only country in the world that isn't xenophobic."
That's a remarkably bold statement, even by the lofty standards of American exceptionalism: The vice president isn't just saying that levels of xenophobia are low or that America is less xenophobic than it's rivals. He's saying that the United States is not xenophobic, period, and every other country in the world is. That's a remarkably bold statement, even by the lofty standards of American exceptionalism: The vice president isn't just saying that levels of xenophobia are low or that America is less xenophobic than its rivals. He's saying that the United States is not xenophobic, period, and every other country in the world is.
For Biden, America's lack of xenophobia is a recurring theme. Last year, he caused a minor stir by making similar statement at an event of the National Association of Manufacturers. “Look at Germany, look at the rest of the world," Biden said. "We’re the only non-xenophobic nation in the world that’s a major economy.” For Biden, America's lack of xenophobia is a recurring theme. Last year, he caused a minor stir by making a similar statement at an event of the National Association of Manufacturers. “Look at Germany, look at the rest of the world," Biden said. "We’re the only non-xenophobic nation in the world that’s a major economy.”
Of course, not everyone is convinced by these statements. And certainly, the timing of Biden's latest comment seems especially unfortunate. It comes just days after an Indian grandfather was left paralyzed after being thrown to the grown by an Alabama police officer and just days after three young Arab Americans were shot dead in North Carolina. Is this the xenophobia-free country Biden was talking about? Of course, not everyone is convinced by these statements. And certainly, the timing of Biden's latest comment seems especially unfortunate. It comes just days after an Indian grandfather was left paralyzed after being thrown to the ground by an Alabama police officer and just days after three young Arab Americans were shot dead in North Carolina. Is this the xenophobia-free country Biden was talking about?
Xenophobia – defined as a "fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners" – isn't an easy thing to measure, especially on an international scale. It's often conflated with personally-held racism or religious prejudice, which is also particularly difficult to measure across the world. For example, a couple of years ago WorldViews published a map that attempted to chart racial prejudice around the world, using data from a World Values Survey. The map showed the percentage of respondents who listed "people of a different race" as those who they would not want to live next to. Xenophobia -- defined as a "fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners" -- isn't an easy thing to measure, especially on an international scale. It's often conflated with personally held racism or religious prejudice, which is also particularly difficult to measure across the world. For example, a couple of years ago, WorldViews published a map that attempted to chart racial prejudice around the world, using data from a World Values Survey. The map showed the percentage of respondents who listed "people of a different race" as those they would not want for neighbors.
The United States did score well in this ranking, appearing to be one of the most racially tolerant countries on Earth. However, many observers pointed out that the way the question was phrased made it difficult to compare across countries: The very concept of race significantly differed around the world. "The challenge is that for some places, this is about race, for others it is about religion or language, etc,"Steve Saideman, an academic who studies race and ethnic conflict, explains in an e-mail. "So, it is hard to write a good set of questions that applies universally. " The United States did score well in this ranking, appearing to be one of the most racially tolerant countries on Earth. However, many observers pointed out that the way the question was phrased made it difficult to compare across countries: The very concept of race significantly differed around the world.
Saideman suggests an easier way to define xenophobia – and, importantly, one that Biden himself appears to be referencing – is attitudes to immigration. Here, U.S. history is obvious: It's a country built around massive immigration and that still holds true today: Despite some bitter opposition, the country does let in a huge amount of immigrants when compared to other countries. "The challenge is that for some places, this is about race, for others it is about religion or language, etc.," Steve Saideman, an academic who studies race and ethnic conflict, explains in an e-mail. "So, it is hard to write a good set of questions that applies universally."
For evidence, check out this chart below, which uses data compiled by the Migration Policy Institute, that compares immigrant populations over the past few decades between the United States and other major economies. The United States is far, far ahead. Saideman suggests that an easier way to define xenophobia -- and, importantly, one that Biden himself appears to be referencing -- is in terms of attitudes to immigration. Here, U.S. history is obvious: It's a country built around massive immigration, and that still holds true today. Despite some bitter opposition, the country does let in a huge amount of immigrants when compared to other countries.
Given this chart, you could probably make a pretty good immigration-based argument that American wasn't xenophobic. But you'd also have to add a caveat: America is a vast country, with a huge amount of people living in it. It's population is almost four times the size of the Germany's. For evidence, check out this chart below, which uses data compiled by the Migration Policy Institute. It compares immigrant populations over the past few decades between the United States and other major economies. The United States is far, far ahead.
Now, take a look at a different set of data, this time from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Here, you compare the percentage of the population that was born in another country and things suddenly look drastically different. By this measure, Luxembourg, a tiny landlocked state in Europe with a population a little over half a million, comes on top. It's closely followed by Switzerland, Australia, Israel and New Zealand. The United States languishes farther down the list, on an equal level with Germany. Given this chart, you could probably make a pretty good immigration-based argument that American wasn't xenophobic. But you'd also have to add a caveat: America is a vast country, with a huge amount of people living in it. Its population is almost four times the size of Germany's.
So, Luxembourg, the anti-xenophobic dream? Note quite. The problem with that argument, is that many of the foreign-born population in that country are from other parts of Europe, which, given the European Union and the Schengen Area, is probably not as "foreign" as you might expect. Switzerland also has that issue, while Israel's foreign-born population is largely a result of pretty unique religion-based immigration. Now, take a look at a different set of data, this time from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Here, you compare the percentage of the population that was born in another country, and things suddenly look drastically different. By this measure, Luxembourg, a tiny landlocked state in Europe with a population of a little over half a million, comes out on top. It's closely followed by Switzerland, Australia, Israel and New Zealand. The United States languishes farther down the list, on an equal level with Germany.
Most importantly, the OECD's report only lists a limited number of countries and a very specific type of immigration. As Human Rights Watch pointed out last year, numbers for legal immigration ignore the far bigger issue of refugee crisis being seen in the Middle East. Last year there were over a million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a country of just less than five million. A comparable number of refugees in the United States would have to be something like 64 million crossing the border in a very short time. So, Luxembourg, the anti-xenophobic dream? Not quite. The problem with that argument is that many of the foreign-born residents of that country are from other parts of Europe, which, given the European Union and the Schengen Area, is probably not as "foreign" as you might expect. Switzerland also has that issue, while Israel's foreign-born population is largely a result of pretty unique religion-based immigration.
Looking at these statistics, it is hard to come to the conclusion that the United States is truly the world's lone non-xenophobic country. The country does have a large amount of immigrants and it may well be less xenophobic than many other nations, but perhaps not exceptionally so. Biden's comment looks hyperbolic, if not completely wrong. Most importantly, the OECD's report lists a limited number of countries and a very specific type of immigration. As Human Rights Watch pointed out last year, numbers for legal immigration ignore the far bigger issue of the refugee crisis in the Middle East. Last year, there were more than 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a country of just less than 5 million. A proportional number of refugees in the United States would mean something like 64 million crossing the border in a very short time.
It is worth remembering, however, that Biden had made these comments – to U.S. audiences – to justify Obama's immigration reform. The vice president's comments were perhaps meant to be instructive, rather than descriptive. Given the events in South Carolina and Alabama, that would be an important difference. Looking at these statistics, it is hard to come to the conclusion that the United States is truly the world's lone non-xenophobic country. The country does have a large number of immigrants, and it may well be less xenophobic than many other nations, but perhaps not exceptionally so. Biden's comment looks hyperbolic, if not completely wrong.
It is worth remembering, however, that Biden had made these comments -- to U.S. audiences -- to justify Obama's immigration reform. The vice president's comments were perhaps meant to be instructive, rather than descriptive. Given the events in South Carolina and Alabama, that would be an important difference.