Public Attitudes to Migration

One of our six research themes

Why do people have such different opinions about migration?

Public opinion plays a crucial role in shaping migration policy. At the Migration Policy Centre, we use surveys, polling, and experiments to understand attitudes towards migration, asylum, and integration. Our research explores the factors that shape public perceptions, from political ideology to media narratives. We also investigate how migration communication campaigns influence social attitudes.

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Public Attitudes At a Glance

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  • Factors Shaping Public Attitudes: Public opinion on migration is influenced by a combination of personal characteristics, economic conditions, and political contexts. Younger, higher-educated individuals tend to hold more positive views, while older and politically conservative groups are more sceptical.

  • Fairness in Asylum Policies: Attitudes towards asylum and refugee policies are often shaped by perceptions of fairness—both in how asylum seekers are treated and how policies impact local communities. Policies that are seen as equitable tend to gain greater public support.

  • The Role of Migration Communication Campaigns: Governments, NGOs, and international organisations increasingly use migration communication campaigns to shape public attitudes. Our research evaluates their impact, providing insights into which strategies work best for fostering informed, balanced discussions.

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Public attitudes towards migration are not fixed; they shift in response to political events, migratory trends, and the way migration is framed in public discourse.
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James Dennison

Part-time Professor

Featured Project

Migration Communications Campaign Dataset

Explore more than 300 different migration communication campaigns conducted in Europe between 2012 and 2022.

Lorenzo Piccoli - James Dennison

Blog Posts on Public Attitudes

17 December 2025

Why some minds change on Immigration — and others don’t

Public opinion on immigration is often assumed to be mercurial. Indeed, in Europe, by some metrics—such as whether there is too much immigration, or whether it is one of the most important issues— attitudes...

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14 January 2025

Communication in Migration: What is happening to children and young people?

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12 December 2024

What do policymakers think are the causes of migration?

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16 October 2024

The contradictions in Hungary’s immigration policy and communication

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