Mediated texts and the sensitization of public perception on migration
Mirela Imsirovic

This presentation explores how texts circulated in traditional and digital media news articles, opinion pieces, editorials, and social media narratives mediate public understanding and affective responses toward migration and migrant communities. It conceptualizes media texts not merely as information carriers but as affective instruments that shape emotions, ethical engagement, and social imaginaries in urban audiences. Drawing on critical media studies and affect theory, the contribution examines how linguistic choices, framing strategies, and narrative structures influence public perception, generating empathy, fear, or indifference. By analyzing the circulation and reception of migration-related texts, the study highlights how media can function as informal pedagogical tools, sensitizing audiences to questions of inclusion, displacement, and social justice.
The presentation situates these dynamics within the objectives of CIRCUL’ARTs, arguing that mediated texts operate as alternative barometers of urban sustainability and social cohesion. They reveal how public sentiment toward migrants is constructed, negotiated, and potentially transformed through textual mediation, offering insights into the role of media in shaping inclusive and responsive urban communities.

Source of the photo: "Public Perception of AI Risks vs. Reality: How Media Coverage Shapes Our Fears and Concerns," David Berg. Accessed: 03.02.2026. Available at the link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/public-perception-ai-risks-vs-reality-how-media-coverage-david-berg-ttb6c/.