Perceptions of Migration Clash With Reality, Report Finds

A global migration report outlines the distorted perceptions of immigrants and suggests that misinformation contributes to “harmful stereotypes, discrimination and xenophobia.” For example, the Italians in surveys assume that immigrants make up 25 percent of the population, when the true figure is 7 percent. Immigrants are wrongly scapegoated for unemployment, scarcity of public resources, crime and other economic and social troubles – and often the official surveys include misleading questions. Attitudes about immigration can shift over a lifetime and higher education correlates with greater appreciation for immigration. The report contends: “While there is growing recognition that migrants can build cross-border social capital, that increasing cultural diversity can provide impetus for the stimulation of entrepreneurship, or that culturally diverse work forces are among the most profitable, the overall perception of migrants in many societies tends to be negative.” Helpful debate and beneficial policies do not emerge from distortions and lies. – YaleGlobal