Discrimination, Social Trust and Solidarity: Comparing Southern European Nations

In line with discussions on empathy and social love, the study offers a critical perspective on how discrimination and other factors can affect solidarity relations and social cohesion. In contemporary societies, discrimination against certain social groups and collectives, particularly the immigrant population, as well as differences in political ideology, educational level, and social class, play a crucial role in shaping social trust and solidarity. Utilizing data from the European Social Survey (Round 11, 2023), we propose to analyze how these factors influence social trust in the European context, focusing on the comparison between Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France. The methodology includes a multiple regression analysis, where social trust is taken as the dependent variable and discrimination, political ideology, educational level, and social class as independent variables, to identify the main determinants of social trust in these countries. Additionally, a cluster analysis is employed to explore perceptions and experiences of discrimination (especially towards the immigrant population), allowing us to observe how different discrimination profiles group together based on sociocultural and economic contexts.

This research aims to contribute to understanding how political, educational, and social class differences can be both sources of division and bridges toward a more solidary society. By analyzing how social trust and discrimination are configured in Southern Europe, this work seeks to provide insights into the dynamics that can foster or inhibit solidarity and empathy, challenging traditional conceptions of these values in a European context.