FAIR: Discourse and Policies: Silencing Returnees and the Need for More Inclusive Return Policies

October 2024

In our latest paper as part of the Horizon Europe FAiR project, we explore two types of migration narratives: those told by migrants and those told about them by media, policymakers, and others. When these perspectives align or diverge, they influence critical areas like return, readmission, and reintegration policies.

Narratives by migrants correspond to personal testimonies shared by migrants themselves and provide first-hand evidence on motivations,
challenges, and experiences behind migration. In contrast, narratives about migrants are developed by media, policymakers, religious actors, and other third parties. Understanding where they align or misalign is key to analysing the impact of policies in the realm of return, readmission, and reintegration.

This paper is structured on the basis of an analysis of narratives and discourses about return in order to develop new approaches that incorporate narratives from returnees and ensure more inclusive policy processes.

Download the paper here