British Nationals’ Preferences Over Who Gets to Be a Citizen According to a Choice-Based Conjoint Experiment

Abstract This article contributes new evidence about the types of immigrants that British nationals would accept as fellow citizens. I analyse preferences a large, nationally representative UK sample employing choice-based conjoint-analysis experiment. Respondents were presented with paired vignettes applicant characterized by combination attributes chosen randomly. The largest impact on probability granting citizenship occupation and religion: respondents especially penalized applicants who Muslim or no occupation. granted at different rates average (from 64 per cent to 80 cent): lower among had voted leave EU, older, less educated, earned less. immigrant most likely be did not, however, vary respondents’ income, education, age, varied little between Brexit Leave Remain voters. My findings nationals’ citizen reflect inclusive–exclusive nature national identity, whereby inclusion is conditional productivity endorsement liberal values.