Beyond Discrimination? Determinants of Trust in Local Government Among Second-Generation Migrants in the Netherlands

Abstract

Despite local government being the most proximal form of government, providing vital services related to social care, housing, and residency for people with a migration background, little is known about how first- and second-generation migrants develop and sustain trust in this level of government. In this study, we conduct a cross-sectional survey among second-generation migrants to explore the effects of generic and migrant-specific factors on first- and second-generation migrants’ trust in local government in the Netherlands. The results of the regression analysis show that generic factors such as satisfaction with local government interactions and outputs play an important role in shaping trust but provide little evidence for the effects of migrant-specific factors, such as discrimination experiences or frame-of-reference effects. Furthermore, the results show similar trust development dynamics between first- and second-generation migrants. Overall, the study indicates that when it comes to developing trust in local government, differences between first- and second-generation migrants, and natives, are limited.