Webinar Date:9th March 2022
Venue:Online
Time:15:00-17:15 (Southern African time, GMT+3)
Globally, as well as in the Southern Africa region, a recent rise in anti-migrant attitudes, including an increase in violent acts against migrants, has drawn increasing attention from political actors as well as civil society. While many initiatives to promote social cohesion have been implemented over the years, there is a dearth of research or evidence to understand the impact of such activities. Are media campaigns effective? If so, with which types of audience and what types of messaging have the greatest impact? Can integrating migrants into sports leagues and cultural events help reduce anxiety and promote a more positive image of migrants among the host community?
Recent advances in brain and behavioural science (BBS) are now providing policymakers and practitioners with new tools to design, implement and measure more impactful social cohesion and peace building programs to reduce xenophobia and violent conflict, and promote cooperation across various social divides.
In this webinar, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS), Prof. Linda Tropp of the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, and Beyond Conflict (a US-based NGO with over 30 years of experience collaborating with local actors and behavioural scientists in building social cohesion and preventing violence), will discuss global examples of initiatives aimed at addressing xenophobia and promoting social cohesion, introduce new models and approaches to designing and measuring interventions, and engage with participants on the specific context, realities, and initiatives in Southern Africa.
Webinar Final Background and Agenda
Presentation by Prof. Loren Landau:Combatting xenophobia and promoting social cohesion in the South African Context
Presentation by Prof. Linda Tropp:Social Contact: Limitations and Opportunities
