On October 30th, the Scalabrini International Migration Institute<\/span><\/strong> co-organized the webinar Governing through fear: the populist <\/b><\/span>narrative and human mobility in Europe<\/b><\/span><\/em>. This was the second webinar in the international and ecumenical Migration, Ethics, and Theology webinar series<\/b><\/span>, organized in cooperation with scholars in the research project Nordhost \u2013 Migration and Hospitality in a Nordic context<\/span><\/strong>. The webinar series aim at promoting dialogue on migration between theologians, migration scholars, church and civic leaders, activists, as well as refugees and migrants themselves. These conversations underline the protection of migrants\u2019 and refugees\u2019 rights.<\/p>\n This second webinar addressed the European discourse on immigration and refugees over the past ten years, and how Church communities and theologians could respond to this narrative. Kaia R\u00f8nsdal<\/b><\/span>, one of the organizers of the series from the University of Oslo, Faculty of Theology, introduced the theme of the webinar. Afterwards, Julia Krebtan-H\u00f6rhager<\/span> <\/strong>kicked off the presentations. Dr. Krebtan-H\u00f6rhager is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies and focuses on inclusive multiculturalism in her work. She provided an overview on the discourse and discursive structures surrounding migration in Europe over the past ten years from different angles: looking at the media, politics, and cultural as well as religious actors. She demonstrated how international media and political framing are united by – sometimes violent – Othering. Still, she discussed how cultural and religious actors seem to resist this prevalent international discourse and stigmatization. By visualizing the migrant\u2019s journey through movies and art, the voice of this perceived \u201cOther\u201d<\/b><\/span> is better understood by the European public. In this part, she also particularly mentioned Pope Francis<\/b><\/span>, who is known for criticizing the globalization of indifference<\/b><\/span>.<\/p>\n \u00c5sa Nausner<\/span> <\/b>built upon this, by sharing her experiences with working on migration within the Church of Sweden in \u00d6rebro. In times of a changing international public and political narrative, sometimes lacking a focus on human dignity, Nausner\u2019s church is working together with other religious communities in \u00d6rebro to challenge this discourse. An example of this was a recent interreligious prayer for peace<\/b><\/span> on the marketplace of the city: openly praying for peace together, in a time where religions are often portrayed as being opposed to one another. Among other things, this interreligious group also stimulates cooperation between youth from different religious backgrounds. By listening to each other\u2019s voices, Nausner described how \u201cGod\u2019s love works as a social agent<\/b><\/span>\u201d in her city, promoting dialogue, understanding, and interreligious cooperation.<\/p>\n Aldo Skoda <\/b><\/span>– executive director of the SIMI Institute and Professor of Pastoral Theology and Human Mobility at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome – called upon attendants to change the <\/b><\/span>internationally prevalent narrative of fear to a narrative of fraternity<\/b><\/span>. Tying into the words of Dr. Krebtan-H\u00f6rhager, there is an increase of collective and individual insecurity and fear within European societies, guiding political, cultural, and\/or pastoral decisions. At the center of this is the \u201cstranger\u201d or the \u201cOther\u201d. Still, we must remember that both the Bible as well as the history of <\/b><\/span>Christianity are marked by migrants and migrations<\/b><\/span>. Therefore, Skoda encouraged us to \u201cmove our perspective from ideologies that feed or justify fear of the other, to theology that promotes a <\/b><\/span>welcoming and inclusive vision<\/b><\/span>.\u201d A Christian anthropological vision attentive of human dignity should be guiding this movement. This view should thus be inclusive, building a community through fraternity and solidarity<\/b><\/span>.<\/p>\n Lastly, Trygve Wyller<\/b><\/span> – professor emeritus of systematic theology and science of diaconia at the Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo – discussed the need to rethink the concept of <\/b><\/span>\u201ccitizenship\u201d<\/span><\/b>. In the political sphere, citizenship is often interpreted as a label used to identify that aperson is qualified<\/i> to be a citizen – either by birth or long stay in a certain country. Wyller discussed how professor Engin Isin <\/b><\/span>challenged this legal\/illegal binary, by arguing that when people move, act against, or suffer from injustices or life-threatening circumstances, they should be able to become citizens in the country of stay. Wyller connected this to the Christian faith. He argued that when we truly come close to the theological view of a person – created in the image of God -, we find that people are in fact already \u201ccitizens\u201d<\/span><\/b>. Particularly when they are performing resistance to life <\/b><\/span>conditions that undermine their ability to live in dignity<\/span><\/b>.<\/p>\n During the closing remarks, all speakers recognized the connectivity between the topics <\/b><\/span>discussed. Theology can help us as political\/public\/cultural\/pastoral actors when challenging the narrative of <\/b><\/span>fear<\/b><\/span>, prevalent in the international public, political, and religious sphere. This can offer hope<\/b><\/span> in challenging the populist discourse present in Europe today, and enhance<\/b> the promotion of human <\/b><\/span>dignity and protection of migrants\u2019 and refugees\u2019 rights<\/b> internationally<\/b><\/span>.<\/p>\n