Environmental appraisals in outgroup cultural landscapes: The role of Muslim elements in urban settings

Anna Bornioli*, Amit Birenboim, Elodie Druez, Orni Livny, Jolanda van der Noll, Nonna Mayer, Pazit Ben-Nun Bloom

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Cultural landscapes can contribute to positive environmental appraisals. However, previous studies focused on exposure to ingroup culture. Referring the debate in Europe on Muslim symbols in the public sphere, this study examines the effect of exposure to outgroup cultural cues on environmental appraisals. We compare environmental appraisals of participants from France, Germany, and the Netherlands after a simulated walk in an outgroup (Muslim) cultural landscape or a religiously-neutral environment. The effect of the Muslim setting was contingent on intolerance, with tolerant individuals reporting more positive environmental appraisals in the Muslim environment. However, this effect reversed as intolerance increased, and more intolerant individuals perceived the Muslim environment more negatively than the control. These findings offer an alternative view to the idea that the visibility of Muslim symbols in the public space has negative effects. Instead, we reveal a nuanced interplay between the urban environment, sociopolitical context and individual-level differences.

Original languageAmerican English
Article number104579
JournalCities
Volume143
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The research was conducted with the support of DAAD Center for German Studies, European Forum at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, granted to Pazit Ben-Nun Bloom and Jolanda van der Noll; by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 804031) granted to Pazit Ben-Nun Bloom; and by the Israel Science foundation (grant agreement No. 877/22) granted to Amit Birenboim.

Funding Information:
The research was conducted with the support of DAAD Center for German Studies, European Forum at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, granted to Pazit Ben-Nun Bloom and Jolanda van der Noll; by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 804031 ) granted to Pazit Ben-Nun Bloom ; and by the Israel Science foundation (grant agreement No. 877/22 ) granted to Amit Birenboim.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors

Keywords

  • Cultural landscape
  • Environmental appraisals
  • Intolerance
  • Muslim
  • Religious minorities
  • Walking

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