1. Immigrants in Greece and Greek emigrants abroad: constructing a common ingroup identity when talking about the immigrant “other”Antonis Sapountzis

2. The creation of a super-ordinate category that includes all members of sub-ordinate categories can reduce prejudice (Gaertner, Mann, Murrell & Dovidio, 1989; Gaertner & Dovidio, 2005). On occasions the adoption of a super-ordinate category and the abolishment of the sub-ordinate categories is impossible because they contribute to the positive self-esteem of their members. The reduction of racism and prejudice can be accomplished with the simultaneous adoption of sub-ordinate and super-ordinate categories (Hornsey & Hogg, 2000; 2002).

3. Discourse analysis: categories are flexible rhetorical tools that are used in verbal interaction in order to achieve certain rhetorical ends (Edwards, 1997; Edwards & Potter, 1992; Potter, 1996; Potter & Wetherell, 1987). Disavowing prejudice in talk: the norm against prejudice. (Billig, Condor, Edwards, Gane, Middleton & Radley, 1988; Billig, 1991; Wetherell & Potter, 1993).

4. Extract 11 Antonis: So, you believe that at some point they will be integrated into society?2 What is going to happen? How do you think their situation will develop?3 Petros: A big part of the population has already been integrated and as the4 years go by more and more will come into our society and we will become one.5 Let me remind you that when the Greeks went to Germany... they6 were workers and the like... Now if you visit Germany you will see how many7 Greek businessmen there are. The same will happen here. Albanian8 businessmen... Russian businessmen... Chinese businessmen... it is the era...9 Globalization, it makes us all to become one. This involves good things10 and bad things... It is good for each people to keep their ideals, faith, habits11 and traditions... And in the same fashion that we preserved them abroad, in the12 same fashion they preserve them here. Everything is going to be fine. (Student, man, 22, Western Thesalonica)

5. Extract 21 Antonis: You said that they are demanding, that they demand some things,2 why do you think that this happens, or maybe how do you see this?3 Giota: Ehh, I didn’t understand the question.4 Antonis: You said that they are demanding, they ask for some things. Why 5 this...6 Giota: Oh! The demands? Yes. Ehh... It reminds me of the Greek emigrants7 that went to Germany and even before a couple of years the Greeks, life was 8 not easy for them in Germany, some people were pointing at them, “Oh! The 9 bloody Greeksthat came over here and work all day”. I think that they also feel 10 somehowlike this. Not all of them of course, eh... but I do not think that the 11 Greeksociety sees them like that. Maybe it is what I said before, the insecurity 12 andfear from what has happened before. (Physical trainer, woman, 44, Western Thesalonica)

6. Extract 31 Giorgos: Which means that their housing, because if their housing has not2 been taken care of they wouldn’t be able to move forward...3 Nikoleta: Yes it was an important factor.4 Gianna: You remember the 70’s the 60’s or the 70’s many Greeks have5 emigrated to Germany, to Sweden. This kind of incidents did not take place.6 Because there weren’t... neither favorable conditions for them nor were there7 any benefit schemes for them, because I know from my personal experience 8 myhusband, I mean, he grew up abroad, I see my parents in law and all the9 grandfathers, they went there and they did whatever they could. They10 accepted them according to the conditions there and then. I mean, they weren’t11 anything different, neither were they given low-rate loans nor houses. This12 was much better I think.13 Giorgos: (inaudible).14 Gianna: I mean they were saying...15 Giorgos: These loans were given to a particular group of immigrants, let’s say16 that...17 Gianna: Which one is the particular group? How do I know which one is the18 particular group.19 Giorgos: Probably the palinostountes20 Gianna: The palinostountes. Why? Weren’t we immigrants in Germany,21 when we left at the 70’s? Why weren’t we given anything?(Nicoleta: Social worker, woman, 31, Gianna: Sociologist, woman, 34, Western Thessalonica).

7. Extract 41 Antonis: Eh, that was my next question. How did the state and the2 municipalities dealt with them?3 Pericles: Inadequately. Inadequately. Not in an organized way.4 Antonis: (inaudible) makes things worse.5 Pericles: Clearly.6 Antonis: Mm.7 Pericles: I will just mention the following, I have seen that because I was a8 young lad then, when the Greeks left to Germany at ‘62, ‘63 I do not think that9 they had this racism or xenophobia.. The Germans against the Greeks. But the10 Greeks were going to Germany back then primarily, but not simply just as11 emigrants. They were going to Germany having a chest x-ray. Also, because12 this is my job they had a general... they had two blood tests. The Germans for13 example had the providence at ‘62, not now at 2005. To check this person out,14 not to exclude him... maybe, but in order to help him. Because there are also15 contagious diseases, like AIDS, or hepatitis, or... sexually transmitted16 venereal diseases... So we have fallen behind.(Doctor, Man, 54, Eastern Thessalonica).

8. Concluding RemarkThe construction of the common ingroup identity of the immigrant through the comparison of the conditions of immigration in Greece and abroad, on occasions allowed participants to disavow prejudice while at the same time they supported stricter immigration control or measures against affirmative action.