What does it mean to talk about migration at a local level – not in headlines or policy debates, but in everyday conversations?
This was the focus of “The State of Solidarity with Migrants: a view from Stobswell, Dundee”, an event that brought together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and local organisations to reflect on migration, neighbourhood change, and responses to anti-migrant sentiment.
Participants were invited to share perspectives and engage in dialogue across different areas of expertise, creating space for discussion grounded in both research and local experience.
At the event, Prof. Kesi Mahendran (The Open University) focused on the idea of everyday extremism. This refers to the gradual inclusion of extreme narratives, sentiments, and attitudes into everyday political and social discussions, where they can become normalised over time. Rather than appearing only in overt forms, these narratives can emerge through routine exchanges.
Her contribution also introduced political attunement, developed within the OppAttune project. Political attunement is defined as a process of interaction between opposing positions, in which different parties remain engaged while recognising each other’s political legitimacy and rights. It focuses on sustaining engagement between people who may not agree, rather than resolving differences.
The presentation outlined a set of tools designed to support this kind of dialogue and to move beyond binary positions. One example, “Playing Politics,” examines how accusations of being “political” can shape participation in public discussion.
These contributions form part of the wider OppAttune project, a Horizon Europe-funded initiative focused on tracking, understanding, and limiting the spread of extreme political narratives, while supporting dialogue across different social and political contexts.
