Communicating migration in a polarised world: What works and what fails

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• MPC: Migration Policy Centre

What if the stories we tell about migration shape public opinion far more than the facts themselves?

This second edition of the Migration Research to Policy Forum explores the forces that influence how people form beliefs—offering insights from major EU-funded research projects and unpacking why some narratives spread rapidly, why others fail to resonate, and how values and cognitive shortcuts quietly steer reactions long before we notice.

Drawing on cutting-edge work in political science, behavioural science, political psychology, and data analytics, the session examines what really happens when evidence meets emotion. Speakers will discuss the power of framing, the dynamics of misinformation, and the conditions under which communication strategies succeed or backfire in today’s polarised information environment.

Designed for policymakers, practitioners, and anyone interested in how ideas travel, the discussion aims to translate complex research into clear, actionable insights—bridging the gap between academic evidence and real-world communication challenges.

This event is part of the Migration Research to Policy Co-Lab.