Bridging Perspectives
A Digital Series on Migrant Experiences, Technology, and Community Dialogues
Contact: Amanda Alencar, pazalencar@eshcc.eur.nl
“Bridging Perspectives” is a three-part public outreach initiative examining how technology shapes migrants’ everyday experiences. Each episode connects key debates, such as digital belonging, the role of AI in surveillance and governance in migration, social media narratives, and digital inclusion, with migrants’ lived realities.
Across the series, the documentaries address how technology influences belonging (including in the lives of women who moved to the Netherlands through marriage), how AI affects both the governance of migration and migrants’ experiences, and the digital barriers that can limit access to essential resources and support. They also explore how digital platforms have reshaped migrants’ ability to exercise agency and voice in migration narratives.
By centering diverse migrant perspectives and combining personal stories with research-based insights, the project aims to foster awareness and empathy, encourage critical reflection, and contribute to more informed policy discussions.
Rotterdam (NL)
April to July 2026
Migration, Technology, Digital Inclusion and Belonging, AI Governance, Public Outreach
Outcomes of this initiative:
In the Name of Love
Episode created by: Phuong Nguyen, Bianca Marcolini , and Maika van den Brand
Synopsis: This short documentary film aims to capture the experience of women who moved to the Netherlands for love. Through their stories and scholarly perspectives, the film provides insight into these women’s journey in building a new home, and how technology has shaped this journey.
Who Decides What We Are Called?
Episode created by: Sara Bogunovic and Jude Alsaheb
Synopsis: Who Decides What We Are Called? explores the power of migration labels and the ways they shape identity, belonging, and public perception. Through insights from scholars Dr. Wegahta B. Sereke and Dr. Sara Marino based on their studies on migration, the documentary examines how labels such as refugee, migrant, asylum seeker, and expat are socially and politically constructed, influencing representation and lived experience. Moreover, this project underlines how digital platforms enable migrants to challenge dominant narratives and reclaim their own stories, inviting audiences to critically reflect on the language used to define migrants.
Beyond the Screen
Episode created by: Dmytro Haryst and Julia Nieuwenhuis
Synopsis: This short documentary film addresses the complicated involvement of AI in the life of newly arrived immigrants in the Netherlands. Through the interconnection of the personal experience of a student and an academic perspective, it is possible to see how the use of AI serves as the first point of support for language, bureaucracy, and emotional support for migrants. However, the documentary also illustrates that while the use of AI allows receiving information instantly, inclusion is impossible without humans.
Impact
01
Bridging research and lived experience: The series will connect academic debates on technology and migration to migrants’ everyday realities. By pairing scholarly insights with personal stories, it helps make research findings easier to understand and more relevant to policy, communities, and service providers.
02
Amplifying diverse migrant voices through accessible content: By centering a range of migrant experiences and perspectives, the project increases visibility and representation. It creates a shared space where audiences can hear directly from migrants, while also making the themes approachable for people who may not have prior knowledge of migration or technology debates.
03
Building student capability for public research communication and engagement: The initiative provides students with hands-on experience in turning research into public-facing media. Through community-oriented video work, students developed skills in dissemination, collaboration, and ethical communication, translating complex topics into formats that support dialogue beyond academia.
04
Making complex topics understandable and discussion-ready: The videos are designed to communicate the complexities of migration, identity, transnationalism, and technology in a clear and engaging way. This can foster critical reflection and supports more informed conversations about belonging, inclusion, and the governance of migration in digital environments.
RESEARCH PROJECT BY:
Amanda Alencar (Research Coordinator)
This initiative is co-led with students in the context of the research internship program at the International Bachelor Communication and Media (IBCoM) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.