Dr. James Dennison

This report draws on recent scholarly advances to better specify what narratives are and to explain variation in their popularity before considering how their effects on immigration policy preferences varies. The study then considers the popularity of eight simple migration narratives — four positive, four negative — in eight countries across the Euro-Mediterranean region today using recent World Values Survey data. Finally, the extent to which belief in each of these narratives affects one’s preferred immigration policy is tested.

The report forms part of the Phase III Euromed Migration Communications Study. This chapter considers how and why these dramatic changes in the importance of the issue, or salience of immigration, occurred in European politics. It combines findings from various scientific sources to produce a theoretical framework that explains how salience affects electoral outcomes, both in terms of turnout and results, and ultimately public policy via emotional activation, exposure to information and evaluation of politicians.

The demand for assessing the impact of communication campaigns across all sectors is increasing. In the field of migration, this demand is particularly acute because of, amongst other things, the potential of such campaigns to have real-world consequences for millions of people. This report brings together disparate terminology, findings and recommendations from the private and public sectors and academia to synthesise a set of five general steps for practitioners when performing IAs.

The study provides a summary of key recommendations from existing best-practice guides for migration communication and policymakers. The aim of the study is to understand what values-based policy communication is and how they can communicate policies that are concordant with the values of their audiences in order to elicit sympathy.

This chapter overviews public attitudes to migration in Southern Partner Countries (SPCs) and considers their effects on migration politics and policies in the region over the past 20 to 30 years. The objective of this chapter is to answer the following question: What are the political effects of public attitudes to migration in the southern and eastern Mediterranean?