A History of Xenophobia: from the goldmines to the rise of the far right today

History Hub presents a series of interviews between our editor Dr Irial Glynn and a number of leading experts on the history of xenophobia. The key question the series grapples with is what causes xenophobia. Why are certain people hostile towards or afraid of immigrants or of people who come from different cultural backgrounds? Does it stem from anger related to a real or perceived decline in living standards? Does it reflect discomfort with the pace of social change or increasing societal diversity? Or is it connected to the arrival of charismatic and innovative politicians and well-organised far right parties?