Immigration is one of the most polarising political and societal issues of the 21st century. However, under a deeper and more careful analysis, relatively few Europeans exist at the extremes when it comes to attitudes to immigration. “The majority of Europeans are able to express nuanced views regarding types of immigration, immigration policies, or perceived effects of immigration. Just because they are pro on one thing or favourable in one way does not mean that they're necessarily favourable or pro in another way,” explains Dennison.
Indeed, while views differ between and within countries, most Europeans hold moderate, nuanced positions, distinguishing between types of immigration rather than adopting simple pro- or anti-immigration stances.
This is one of the main findings drawn from the study conducted by James Dennison, the subject of the video interview, and Andrew Geddes based on large amounts of high-quality survey data spanning decades, countries, and crises, and combining insights from political science, psychology, sociology, and public policy.
This interdisciplinary approach has supported the analysis of why, over the last few decades, despite major geopolitical changes, migration crises, the pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there has been broad stability in policy preferences and perceptions of immigration.
Taking into consideration early-life socialisation, economic conditions, media framing, political cues, or the migratory context, they distinguish between deep-seated, distal influences and more immediate, proximal factors, arguing that attitudes are generally stable because they are rooted in enduring personal and social characteristics and histories.
“We don't see huge volatility one way or another in terms of Europeans’ attitudes,” explains Dennison in the video. “There is one exception, which is the extent to which Europeans prioritise immigration as an issue. We see great volatility in the perceived relative importance of immigration compared to, for example, health, foreign affairs or the economy.”
More detailed results are gathered in the book ‘What Europeans think about immigration and why it matters’, where they also explore how attitudes towards immigration are formed, the factors that shape them, and the role narratives play in helping people make sense of reality, examining why some narratives resonate while others fail.
Watch the full video on our YouTube channel.
James Dennison is a part-time Professor at the Migration Policy Centre of the European University Institute in Florence and the 2025/26 Pierre Keller Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. He directs the Observatory of Public Attitudes to Migration (OPAM) at the MPC. His research interests include political attitudes, behaviour, communication, migration, and quantitative methods.