"The scan identified eight core findings: 1. Both positive and negative narratives use a moral framework as a justification and trigger to tap into values. Both welcoming and restrictive narratives can be rooted in a view of what is right—for instance, calling for generosity or compassion toward refugees because of humanitarian values, or arguing for penalties for irregular or unauthorized immigrants because of a commitment to law and order. 2. Many positive migration narratives invoke feelings of national pride rather than attempting to “sell” concrete benefits of migration. In many countries, top-down stories about migration tap into (and affirm) core notions of national identity (such as humanitarianism or diversity) and attempt to invoke pride (such as being a nation of immigrants). Other pro-migration narratives take a more transactional approach by highlighting how immigration reaps benefits for receiving societies, often focusing on migrants’ economic contributions. 3. Elite, top-down messages about migration often clash with views on the ground. Many government leaders spread messages about the benefits of migration, but these do not always align with people’s lived experiences. And in many places, the public has a fundamental mistrust of government or perceives that policymakers have failed to effectively manage migration challenges, which can also spark skepticism. 4. Narratives about migration are not always ideologically driven; they can be motivated by political pragmatism or used to advance other political or policy goals. Political rhetoric on migration is not always connected to ideology or values per se, but may instead be used as a calculated means to advance other policy goals (such as boosting foreign aid, gaining votes, or maintaining political power). The link to political pragmatism may offer an important clue as to why certain messages are amplified in certain settings and with certain audiences but not others. 5. The most dominant threat narratives are driven by insecurity—whether related to economics, culture and identity, personal safety, or national security. The stickiest negative narratives about migration are often interwoven with perceived threats to security (for instance, anxiety about jobs and resources, crime, or about changes to culture or social norms), even if these threats are not well supported by data. Threats to personal safety and security or economic livelihoods can be highly destabilizing, even if they are episodic or only affect a small number of people—and these fears are not easily defused with contrary evidence [...]" (Executive summary, page 3)
1 Introduction, 4
2 How Narratives Shape Migration Policymaking, 7
3 Narrative Architecture in Five Case-Study Countries, 9
4 Conclusions and Agenda for Future Research, 25
Appendix. Salient Migration Narratives, 27