Communicating effectively about migration

Few areas of public policy are subject to greater misrepresentation in public and political discourse, yet more influenced by public opinion, than international migration. The understanding of contemporary migration has been considerably advanced by the oretical work based on neoclassical economics, new household economies, dual labour market theory, network theory, world systems theory, cumulative causation and more recent developments in transnationalism theory (Massey et al., 1993, 1998; Vertovec, 2001). There is also a growing body of empirical research relating to migration. Arguably, however, neither theory nor research has had as much impact on policy formulation as political discourse, media reports and public opinion on the nature, purpose and socio-economic impact of migration.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions