Migration Matters

Startseite
Deutschland
Berlin
Migration Matters

Bite-sized videos that empower you to have more nuanced and evidence-based conversations about migration and refugees. Let's together.

Migration Matters is a non-profit organisation that was founded in January 2016 by Julia Karmo, Sophia Burton, Kelly Miller, and Elina Ribakova in response to media coverage about the so-called refugee crisis. Our team has since grown to include Bernadette Klausberger and Julian van Dieken, two of the creators behind one of the 50 most popular Massive Open Online Courses of all time: The Future of

Storytelling. We are awardees of grants from The London School of Economics and Advocate Europe and a winner of the 2017 Migration Media Award from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development. Our mission is to empower the public to have more nuanced and evidence-based conversations about migration. We produce bite-sized video courses that complicate commonly held preconceptions with original ideas, research, and solutions-oriented perspectives from leading thinkers in the field: researchers, practitioners, as well as migrants and refugees themselves. Help us change the debate around migration by informing your family and friends about Migration Matters, sharing our videos, and contributing your questions and ideas for future course topics. Let’s together. Sign up for our courses at http://migrationmatters.me/
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at and email us at [email protected]

01/06/2026

What might migration in Germany look like in 2050? 🤔

We would like to discuss this question with you! We invite young people between 16 and 19 years old, as well as people aged 60 and over, to contribute their perspectives and ideas for the future.

Together we explore future scenarios, exchange ideas and discuss how migration could shape our society in the coming decades.

📅 June 26, 2026, 9:30–12:30 am
📍 Futurium, Berlin
🔗 Register via the link in our bio

An event organized by the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) (.institut), Migration Matters eV, and the Futurium (). Migration Matters’ participation in this project is made possible by funding from the Robert Bosch Foundation ( ).

28/05/2026

Last week we had the pleasure of meeting with Bachelor’s students from the University of North Texas for a lively exchange on migration, identity, and integration in Germany 🇩🇪✨

Together we explored perceptions of immigration in Germany and the U.S., discussed why changing minds on migration can be so challenging, and reflected on what helps create more constructive conversations across differences. We also talked about diversity in Germany and the role we can all play in shaping more inclusive societies.

It was especially interesting to hear the students’ own perspectives, questions, and reflections throughout the session — thank you for the thoughtful and engaging discussion 💬🌍

And a big thank you to .family for generously hosting us in their space!

27/05/2026

One of the most exciting aspects of our work is having access to a global network of people working on migration from very different perspectives — research, civil society, education, media, and beyond. Each perspective challenges and enriches our work.

This week we were invited to Tallinn University to participate in the workshop “Narratives at the Crossroads: Migration, Polarization, and Political Inclusion in Uncertain Times.” The workshop brought together researchers from across Europe to discuss how migration narratives are shaped, politicized, and circulated, especially in times of increasing polarization and moments of “crisis.”

Migration Matters was invited to bring the civil society perspective to the discussion. As the only non-academic organization presenting at the workshop, we shared our work complicating migration narratives through educational media, storytelling, and dialogue. Sophia Burton, co-founder of Migration Matters, also spoke about the importance of translating research and bringing a wider range of voices and lived experiences into migration debates.

There was a lot of engagement and curiosity from the researchers around the practical side of our work — from communicating research beyond academia to measuring impact and creating spaces for more nuanced public conversations.

Thank you to the organizers at Tallinn University and nccr – on the move (University of Neuchâtel) for the invitation and for putting together such a thoughtful and engaging event!

20/05/2026

We’re excited to be collaborating with Deschoolonize — a Berlin-based initiative working to challenge colonial structures and dominant narratives in education. Through school workshops, empowerment activities, and critical conversations, their work creates space for more inclusive perspectives and questions whose knowledge is considered “legitimate.”

During our February educational networking event, Deschoolonize founder Greg Ownuegbuzie joined us as a panelist, sharing his insights on how dominant narratives influence classrooms and shape young people’s perspectives.

Now more than ever, it’s important to build partnerships and alliances that challenge and complicate harmful narratives about migration, diversity, and belonging. We’re grateful to have partners like Deschoolonize alongside us as we work toward more inclusive, reflective conversations — and societies. 💫

07/05/2026

At Migration Matters, a big part of our work is bringing different worlds together — connecting research, education, civil society, and media to challenge dominant narratives around migration.

That’s why we’re excited to be part of EPIM’s new Community of Practice on labor mobility and narrative change.

Across Europe, migration debates are becoming increasingly polarized and right-wing sentiment is on the rise. Labor mobility is becoming one of the last politically viable entry points into the migration conversation, as governments increasingly recognize migrants as necessary to address labor shortages in aging societies. But if labor mobility becomes the main framework for talking about migration, what narratives are being reinforced — and how do we make sure conversations around rights, dignity, and belonging don’t get lost along the way?

Over the next months, 18 participants from across Europe working across strategic communications, policy, research, media, philanthropy, and cultural strategy will come together to explore these questions collectively.

Our Managing Director and Co-Founder, Sophia Burton, is facilitating this Community of Practice. Together, the group is exploring how we can use this moment to create new narratives around migration — ones that ensure conversations around rights, dignity, and belonging don’t get lost along the way.

The kick-off meeting took place a couple of weeks ago, and we’re looking forward to the conversations, exchanges, and collective learning to come.

A big thank you to EPIM for creating this space 💬

30/04/2026

“Most of the time, displacement is only seen as a political issue, but climate change, as we can see, affects women more directly [...]” – Priscilla Achapka, environmental activist and founder of the Women Environmental Programme

In this episode of Voices on the Move, we get closer to the lived experiences and adaptive strategies of women in climate vulnerable areas across Kenya and Nigeria. Despite their knowledge and experiences, women remain underrepresented in climate decision-making areas.

Yet, through “chamas” in Kenya and other community-led organisations, women are leading responses to climate change - diversifying livelihoods, building support networks and sharing information about sustainable resources and practices. Priscilla’s advocacy reminds us of the need to recognize womens’ indigenous knowledge as crucial to the development of climate change and mobility policies.

🌍In our podcast, we explore the complex relationships between climate change and migration, providing you with the voices of climate migrants, displaced persons, and community leaders as well as the insights of migration researchers.

🔗 Link in bio for the full episode.
🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.

Voices on the Move was produced by Migration Matters, , , and the HABITABLE project.

23/04/2026

Last week in Toronto, we joined the conference “Rethinking Complex Migration: Flows, Frames, and Futures” at Toronto Metropolitan University, hosted by the Global Migration Institute.

Bringing together researchers and practitioners from different fields, the conference explored how migration is becoming increasingly complex — shaped by overlapping journeys, mixed motivations, and evolving policy frameworks. Discussions ranged from migration governance and diplomacy to new research methods, including big data, AI, and creative participatory approaches.

Bernadette Klausberger from the Migration Matters team was part of one roundtable exploring how film and storytelling can not only communicate knowledge, but produce it. Reflecting on our storytelling projects, she explored the power of real-life stories, the responsibility of telling them, and the importance of co-creation in research. As part of her presentation, she screened excerpts from our Migrant Lives in Pandemic Times and Rethinking Return Migration series.

We’re grateful to the Global Migration Institute for giving us the opportunity to share our work, exchange ideas, and learn from others in the field!

What do you think — how can storytelling and art help shape new narratives about migration?

🎥 Explore our Migrant Lives and Rethinking Return Migration series via the link in bio.

Photo credit: Global Migration Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University

20/04/2026

All jokes aside — bureaucracy is just one of the many challenges civil society organizations face when applying for funding and keeping things running.

The endless paperwork, budget planning, reporting requirements… and the constant fear of missing an important deadline 😵‍💫. In today’s political climate, the process can feel even more demanding and high-pressure — as funding opportunities shrink, civic space narrows, and new challenges and changes (hello, AI 👋) keep emerging.

Still, we try to keep the bigger picture in mind — the purpose behind the work, the people it reaches, and the impact it can have. Because in the end, it’s not just about the paperwork — it’s about what it makes possible 😁.

At Migration Matters, we encounter these hurdles regularly — when applying for funding, building teams, and turning ideas into reality. We’re grateful to the funders and supporters who make this work possible — even when the paperwork feels endless.

Now tell us below: what’s your craziest experience with German bureaucracy? 🤔

20/02/2026

When a war is declared “over”, does that mean people can simply return home? 👇

2️⃣ This second key finding from the Return Migration Project highlights an important gap between assumptions and lived realities:
- The end of armed conflict does not automatically mean people return home
- Displaced people carefully assess safety, stability, and their ability to rebuild livelihoods
- Forced return is far less likely to result in sustainable, long-term outcomes

Crucially, the research also shows that return after war requires preparation and long-term support, not only economically, but also socially and psychologically. Without sustained reintegration efforts, return policies risk creating renewed instability or further displacement.

These findings challenge simplified narratives about post-conflict return and point toward more realistic, long-term, and evidence-based approaches.

🔗 Watch the video to explore more insights from GAPs research on return migration. Link in Bio.

03/02/2026

🎬 Migration Matters Special: RETURNING — “Return never leads back, it always leads forward.”

A sold-out evening at Yorck Kino (.kinogruppe) offered a rich exchange of ideas and reflections on the topic of return. With insights from researcher Ruth Vollmer (), the documentary films Born in Damascus by and Distilled by Christopher Larson (), as well as videos from the current EU research project on return migration .

The aim of this third and final Migration Matters cinema evening was to share new, diverse, evidence-based and deeply personal perspectives on return migration.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to this evening 💛

🔍 Want to learn more about return? Check out our new series “Rethinking Return Migration”— featuring short info videos and personal stories from returnees. Link in bio!

🎥 Also worth sharing:
Born in Damascus by Laura Wadha, available online via The Guardian.

IdentityAndHome DiasporaVoices ForcedMigration VoluntaryReturn MigrationResearch DocumentaryFilm SocialImpact EuropeanMigration StorytellingForChange MigrationDialogue YorckKino

Adresse

Kantstraße 10
Berlin
10623

Webseite

http://www.migrationmatters.me/

Benachrichtigungen

Lassen Sie sich von uns eine E-Mail senden und seien Sie der erste der Neuigkeiten und Aktionen von Migration Matters erfährt. Ihre E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht für andere Zwecke verwendet und Sie können sich jederzeit abmelden.