#FilterTheNoise Podcast: On Immigration

Hear the gripping story of Azad who was forced by the Taliban insurgents to flee Afghanistan in 2012, making his way to Europe through the known migrant routes. Eventually ending up in Belgium, he lived in the shadow of society for 10 years, working on the black for miserable pay with no access to basic healthcare, while not being able to rent a home legally or even open a bank account.

His perseverance paid off as on his 8th attempt, 10 years after arriving, Belgium provided him with a refugee status. He now works, legally, and enjoys the same rights all Belgian citizens enjoy.

Stories humanise the numbers. They bring an emotional bond to the people migrating. Behind each decision we take on immigration, anything to make it easier or harder for immigrants to come or settle in, human lives are impacted.

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Presented by Jonathan Ketchell with contribution from Azad.

How many times when speaking on the topic of immigration have you used interchangeably migrant and immigrant? What about asylum seeker and refugee?

Many misunderstandings in conversations stem from different comprehensions of a word. Words matter, because they invoke different feelings within us. Think of the words expat and immigrant. Which one, in your view, has a more positive connotation?

We start with words from Yaleeza, a trans woman from Suriname who sought refuge in Belgium, with her thoughts on rigid categorisation.

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Presented by Jonathan Ketchell with contribution from Yaleeza

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Gently introduces you into the topic... Starting with a flow of negative words often associated with immigration!

If you are a citizen in the EU, according to polls, there's a good chance that your view of immigration is somewhat negative or even hostile, a pale reflection of how immigrants are painted in the media and by politicians.

They can play on the "group-threat theory", the idea that our economies are compromised, our societies less safe and our identity and values threatened by immigrants.

But is this the case? We'll find out more in future episodes.

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Presented by Jonathan Ketchell

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