Conflict participation and attitudes towards displaced persons: evidence from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract What drives attitudes towards forcibly displaced persons in conflict-affected communities? We present survey experimental evidence from a large sample of displaced and host populations in the Kasai provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a region that has been affected by violent conflict but remains severely under-researched. Our results reveal that perceptions of security risks, deservingness, and humanitarian concerns significantly shape attitudes. Respondents are less willing to host displaced persons who participated in the fighting compared to victims of violence, with particular aversion toward those affiliated with militias who are perceived as more accountable for the conflict and as posing a greater security risk. We contribute to the literature on attitudes towards migrants by highlighting that hosts in conflict-affected communities are driven by a broader range of concerns than those identified in the existing literature, which primarily focuses on the US and European contexts.