Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BRIDGES (Bridges to assess the production and impact of migration narratives)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-03-01 bis 2022-02-28
In a context of increasing politicisation and polarization, where migration is often used with political means, the project aims to examine the narratives around migration and integration. In particular, the overall objectives are three-fold:
• At the academic level: analysing why some migration narratives become dominant over others in public and political debates from a historical perspective, as well as how these narratives impact: individual attitudes towards migration in Europe, potential migrants’ decisions in countries of origin and transit, and policy decisions at the EU and national levels.
• At the policy level: fostering evidence-based policy decisions through policy recommendations on how to redress a tendency towards increasingly symbolic policies in the field of migration and integration, participatory events with policymakers and Policy Briefs on the impact of narratives on potential migrants’ decisions in countries of origin and transit, and on policymaking at the EU and national levels.
• At the societal level: creating spaces of dialogue between the actors involved in narrative production through the exchange of good and innovative practices, an itinerant photo-journalism exhibition and a two-fold mural painting and hip-hop music contest to reflect on the challenges of multicultural and diverse societies.
The research is implemented in six European countries: France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom by a diverse consortium formed by universities, think tanks and research centres, cultural associations, and civil society organisations, from an interdisciplinary and co-productive approach.
• At the academic level: analysing why some migration narratives become dominant over others in public and political debates from a historical perspective, as well as how these narratives impact: individual attitudes towards migration in Europe, potential migrants’ decisions in countries of origin and transit, and policy decisions at the EU and national levels.
• At the policy level: fostering evidence-based policy decisions through policy recommendations on how to redress a tendency towards increasingly symbolic policies in the field of migration and integration, participatory events with policymakers and Policy Briefs on the impact of narratives on potential migrants’ decisions in countries of origin and transit, and on policymaking at the EU and national levels.
• At the societal level: creating spaces of dialogue between the actors involved in narrative production through the exchange of good and innovative practices, an itinerant photo-journalism exhibition and a two-fold mural painting and hip-hop music contest to reflect on the challenges of multicultural and diverse societies.
The research is implemented in six European countries: France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom by a diverse consortium formed by universities, think tanks and research centres, cultural associations, and civil society organisations, from an interdisciplinary and co-productive approach.
The project has advanced in the production of several academic outputs. As a starting point, BRIDGES has undertaken two state of the arts: one more historical, focusing on the analysis of the British and French narratives to restrict immigration from the Global South from the 1960s to the mid-1980s, and another one more conceptual, with a general overview of the theoretical and empirical studies done in the field of migration narratives to understand how they emerged, how they have been used and what impacts they have had in the last decades. The state of the arts have been complemented with a brief report with key guidelines on how to include the gender perspective in the analysis of migration and integration narratives.
As for the examination of how narratives are produced in the media and social media, BRIDGES has advanced in the analysis of news and posts from different outlets and social media platforms (Twitter and Facebook), following three sub-genres: a) arrivals and migration crises, b) debates on migrants’ rights and citizenship, and c) supremacist or jihadist terror attacks, in the six aforementioned countries. The final outputs (national and comparative reports) will be finalised in Year 2. Likewise, the project has made progress in the analysis of narratives from non-hegemonic actors form the civil society through innovative and alternative initiatives that aim to promote the inclusion of migrants and intercultural societies. So far, we have finished a mapping with 47 initiatives in 3 countries (Germany, Italy and Spain), with key items related to organisational and communicative issues, including the identification of the main narratives. The following tangible output has been a state of the art on EU-funded information campaigns targeting potential migrants in Africa. This is part of the objective in which we want to analyse the impact of institutional narratives on individuals, and more specifically, on their decision-making processes around potential migration to Europe.
As for the co-production activities, an archive has been created with key publications focused on the topic of migration published on paper from 2016 to 2021 in seven European countries. This archive will serve to set up a photojournalism exhibition that will be displayed in three cities: Rome, Madrid in Brussels. Finally, during its first year of implementation, BRIDGES set up the bases to guide its communication and dissemination efforts throughout the project. This includes the design of the Dissemination, Exploitation, and Communication Action Plan, the definition of the project’s visual identity and institutional materials, and the launch of its online communication channels. The project also released its first dissemination outputs and a video reflecting the debates held on the 1st Interdisciplinary Seminar. BRIDGES also managed to position itself as a relevant source of information and analyses on migration narratives for its targeted audiences through several impacts on general and specialised media, as well as on the online channels of the consortium partners and other like-minded projects, initiatives, and institutions.
As for the examination of how narratives are produced in the media and social media, BRIDGES has advanced in the analysis of news and posts from different outlets and social media platforms (Twitter and Facebook), following three sub-genres: a) arrivals and migration crises, b) debates on migrants’ rights and citizenship, and c) supremacist or jihadist terror attacks, in the six aforementioned countries. The final outputs (national and comparative reports) will be finalised in Year 2. Likewise, the project has made progress in the analysis of narratives from non-hegemonic actors form the civil society through innovative and alternative initiatives that aim to promote the inclusion of migrants and intercultural societies. So far, we have finished a mapping with 47 initiatives in 3 countries (Germany, Italy and Spain), with key items related to organisational and communicative issues, including the identification of the main narratives. The following tangible output has been a state of the art on EU-funded information campaigns targeting potential migrants in Africa. This is part of the objective in which we want to analyse the impact of institutional narratives on individuals, and more specifically, on their decision-making processes around potential migration to Europe.
As for the co-production activities, an archive has been created with key publications focused on the topic of migration published on paper from 2016 to 2021 in seven European countries. This archive will serve to set up a photojournalism exhibition that will be displayed in three cities: Rome, Madrid in Brussels. Finally, during its first year of implementation, BRIDGES set up the bases to guide its communication and dissemination efforts throughout the project. This includes the design of the Dissemination, Exploitation, and Communication Action Plan, the definition of the project’s visual identity and institutional materials, and the launch of its online communication channels. The project also released its first dissemination outputs and a video reflecting the debates held on the 1st Interdisciplinary Seminar. BRIDGES also managed to position itself as a relevant source of information and analyses on migration narratives for its targeted audiences through several impacts on general and specialised media, as well as on the online channels of the consortium partners and other like-minded projects, initiatives, and institutions.
Following the objectives at the three levels, BRIDGES aims to improve the knowledge on the production and impact of migration narratives and transfer it to the policy and social arenas. More specifically, at the academic level, the project is expected to increase the understanding of how narratives are produced in the public and political debate, beyond the classic analysis of media and policy frames, by incorporating a truly interdisciplinary perspective. Moreover, it will improve the access of information related to the effects of migration narratives on individuals, and on the process of policymaking, and how they are mutually affected.
At the policy level, BRIDGES will enhance the understanding of narratives’ impact on the process of policymaking. This includes how policy debates in key institutions and venues are shaped; and how policy decisions, choices and outputs are influenced by intrinsic political dynamics, as well as by public debates and individuals’ opinions and behaviours. Greater knowledge among politicians and policymakers of the risks associated with the adoption of symbolic and right-wing populist narratives will also be produced, and we will assist them in how to adopt more evidence-based decisions in connection with the empirical results through a set of policy recommendations.
At the societal level, greater outreach among migrants and civil society actors through the co-production of migration narratives is expected to build more inclusive and cohesive societies. Also, the mutual learning on how to tackle anti-immigration and exclusionary narratives in innovative ways by different types of actors across Europe and the facilitation of guidelines and methods on how to export initiatives in another country/city. The project will also contribute to raise awareness of the potential risks of exclusionary narratives and positive initiatives among the public opinion to counter them through social media dissemination actions. Finally, BRIDGES will also foster the debate on key issues related to the phenomenon of migration and integration with stakeholders and citizens across Europe.
At the policy level, BRIDGES will enhance the understanding of narratives’ impact on the process of policymaking. This includes how policy debates in key institutions and venues are shaped; and how policy decisions, choices and outputs are influenced by intrinsic political dynamics, as well as by public debates and individuals’ opinions and behaviours. Greater knowledge among politicians and policymakers of the risks associated with the adoption of symbolic and right-wing populist narratives will also be produced, and we will assist them in how to adopt more evidence-based decisions in connection with the empirical results through a set of policy recommendations.
At the societal level, greater outreach among migrants and civil society actors through the co-production of migration narratives is expected to build more inclusive and cohesive societies. Also, the mutual learning on how to tackle anti-immigration and exclusionary narratives in innovative ways by different types of actors across Europe and the facilitation of guidelines and methods on how to export initiatives in another country/city. The project will also contribute to raise awareness of the potential risks of exclusionary narratives and positive initiatives among the public opinion to counter them through social media dissemination actions. Finally, BRIDGES will also foster the debate on key issues related to the phenomenon of migration and integration with stakeholders and citizens across Europe.