NOVAFRICA Podcast: Serving Countries, Shaping Views: The Impact of Military Conscription on Attitudes Towards Immigrants

In Episode 3, Season 7 of the NOVAFRICA Sustainable Development Talks, we welcome Professor Giacomo De Luca from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano to explore how military service reforms have influenced national identity and public attitudes toward immigrants across 20 European countries. The discussion is based on his paper “Serving Countries, Shaping Views: The Impact of Military Conscription on Attitudes Towards Immigrants”, co-authored with Andrea Montalbano and Steven Stillman.

In this episode, De Luca walks us through the paper’s methodological design, key findings, and the broader policy implications of using conscription as a nation-building tool. He also shares his perspective on one of the study’s most surprising results.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here