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Islamophobia is an emerging comparative concept in prejudice research and represents "indiscriminate negative attitudes or emotions directed at Islam or Muslims" (Bleich, 2011, p. 1581). A number of scales on attitudes towards immigrants exist from relevant cross-national research projects (ESS 2002) and surveys among the population (ALLBUS, 2006), but when it comes to the measurement of Islamophobic attitudes or emotions an empirically sound evaluation of Islamophobia is still in its infancy. In a comprehensive research project the main aim was to construct a differentiated scale encompassing various dimensions of anti-Muslim sentiments. We followed a mixed methods approach and started with a qualitative study. 16 in-depth qualitative interviews consisted of a biographical section as well as a photo-elicited part exploring various dimensions of potential Islamophobic thoughts towards Muslim symbols (e.g. the veil, minarets and terrorism) and areas of potential threats (e.g. demographic scenarios, integration in schools, Muslims eroding the own culture). After a content analysis of the interviews we tried to figure out the main dimensions of the multifaceted perceptions towards Muslims. We then follow the full process of Likert scaling which involved the pretest of a long list of items (student samples), reducing the items to an appropriate scale (based on item analysis) and testing the factorial structure and reliability of the items (based on a quota sample of the local population of Salzburg). The mixed method design adopted in this project can be seen as a pioneer approach for scale constructing. It stands for a deeper integration of the life worlds of the locals and represents an empirically grounded approach with regard to the extraction of relevant dimensions and selection of appropriate items to measure the multidimensional nature of Islamophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eurovision Song Contest is a musical contest have been staged since 1956, where that country is the winner the song of which receives the most score from other countries. The voting system makes it possible to reveal preferen ces between certain countries, and the present study is examining some - geographically also interesting-aspects of this problem. Preferences typical of countries may be divided into two groups: I) one-sided preference, when voters of a country support another country but it does not work the other way round. This situation may be originated in voting behaviour of migrants and ethnical - national minorities, 2) Mutual preferences that lead to formation of regions. Types of this group are: a) Pair regions (Spain-Portugal, Netherlands-Belgium, Great Britain-Ireland, Rumania- Moldavia); b) Strongly integrated Unit regions (Scandinavia, Ex-Yugoslavia); c) Mixed regions (Greece-Cyprus-Albania, Balticum). This study analyzes processes leading to formation of unit regions, and presents factors holding them together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with current controversies between Slovakia and Hungary from a discourse-theoretical point of view. It argues that controversies like those about the Hungarian law on dual citizenship, and many more, result from antagonistic discourses about the role of state and (ethnic) nation. While the Hungarian discourse stresses the ethnic nation's priority over state interests and therefore claims the Hungarian state's responsibility for the ethnic Hungarians abroad, the Slovak discourse stresses the state's priority over ethno-national interests and therefore tries to reduce any influence of Hungarian nationals and their kin state in Slovakia. The article concludes that without overcoming these discourses, real solutions to the political controversies are quite improbable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]