The Difficulty in Shifting Public Narratives about Refugees
Public opinion of refugees and asylum seekers is often portrayed as a binary, reflected in stories of them as “threats” or “benefits.” Yet in reality, people can hold a variety of competing beliefs and concerns about forced migrants and their impacts on society. This report explores these different narratives, the contexts in which they flourish, and the types of initiatives that have been used to try to boost solidarity and ease tensions. The paper is part of our Beyond Territorial Asylum initiative and was published by the Migration Policy Institute, partner of the Foundation.