Research activities in Rome!

At the end of September, from the 25th to the 27th, all the MAX partners joined in Rome for a three-day workshop on the Work Package 2 research activities. The workshop was organised by the WP2 leader IDEA and hosted by one of our Italian partner, Legacoopsociali.

These activities are focused on the issue of migrants’ presence in the European Union from two angles, factual and opinion-based. The activity aims to produce and deliver messages which will refute stereotypes and change minds not by expert, scientific or political discourse or statistics alone, but by focusing on showing on the experiences, achievements and contribution of real-life migrants. The biggest impact on public opinion will be created by telling real-life stories, which engage empathy and demonstrate that reality is different from how is often pictured.

Desk research will be conducted into:

• Literature and research about the benefits (economic, social, cultural) of a diverse society
• Literature and research about the image of migrants as channelled in the news, and associated fears; experiments and solutions

In Rome, IDEA, the WP leader, had the chance to explain to the partners how these research activities have to be carried out and what should they focus on. Every partner had the opportunity to discuss the main findings of their research so far and how to overcome common difficulties.

The results of the research activities will be available in final reports and some of the most interesting stories will be showcased in the interactive map on the MAX website.