Reframing Migration

Abstract

This graduation project aims to reframe migration by exploring the domain of “the relationship between European society and immigration, 2040.” Using the Vision in Product Design (ViP) method, the project envisions possible futures of this domain and proposes design interventions within a context shaped by two dynamics: the use of public inertia as a political strategy to address immigration, and emotional detachment as the prevailing social atmosphere in European society. In recent decades, Europe has experienced an influx of displaced people from non-European countries, placing migration at the center of public and political discourse. European politics initially framed this influx as an emergency, and later as a crisis, reviving historical patterns of “othering” and “national traditions.” This framing has fostered exclusionary and politicized thinking while denying migration as part of a broader global transformation. Current migration policies, focused on restricting asylum systems and strengthening border controls, have proven ineffective, overlooking migration’s potential value. Yet, policy strongly shapes how citizens interpret reality. Reframing migration within the policy sphere can therefore positively influence how European society engages with this phenomenon. This project structures a future vision around two major forces. The first is “treating immigration with public inertia”, expressed through three political strategies: a utilitarian framing of immigration, processing a fluid reality through rigid schemas, and preventing public influence. The second is an “emotionally detached society: high contact, avoiding dialogue”, manifested at three levels of society: the macro-level (loud rhetoric fueling polarization), the meso-level (dehumanization and othering shaping collective fear), and the micro-level (tensions and misalignments in everyday transformations). When these two forces intersect, they generate nine future situations. These situations form the basis of nine design interventions, each unraveling a future meaning. The interventions aim to foster a more constructive relationship between European society and immigration by encouraging citizens to think critically and act responsibly, equipping them with tools to navigate uncertainties brought by societal challenges. The main outcomes of this project are: 1. A framework that maps how this future context may unfold and makes sense of its complexity. 2. Nine design ideas that, collectively, represent a perspective shift capable of enabling meaningful change. 3. The development of one concept, “The Civic Trial,” as a concrete example of designing for this envisioned future. 4. A methodological reflection on the design process. The Civic Trial concept stems from the idea of educating citizens in dialogue. It envisions a pluralistic space for meaningful exchange, where people’s needs can be expressed and translated into inputs for policymaking. The concept takes the form of an agonistic democracy embedded in a legal trial setting. Based on inclusion and citizen representation, it is designed to inform European Commission policy initiation, bypassing polarized politics that often feel distant from citizens. Ultimately, this project demonstrates how design can add value to policymaking by equipping citizens with meaningful tools to navigate uncertainty and by fostering more constructive engagement with migration.