Attitudes towards Migrants in the Context of Intensified Migration in Bulgaria: Moral Panic and Personal Relevance

Influenced mainly from a sociology of deviance perspective, the article explores perceptions and attitudes towards immigrants in Bulgaria in the context of the intensified migration processes to Europe. Drawing on data from a set of representative surveys, the article aims to reconstruct the social distance specifics, fears and threat perceptions, radicalization and victimization associated with immigrants and to study the way they are affected by spatial and psychological proximity and personal relevance.

Keywords:

immigrants , attitudes , moral panics , personal relevance , social distancing