to enhance Integration and Local Development in European rural and mountain regions
Initial situation
Migration plays a central role in demographic development throughout Europe. Although the effects and potentials of migration have already been investigated in some studies for rural regions (Machold et al. 2013; Kasimis 2010 etc.), most research focuses on urban areas. In the present project, the focus is on the social and economic impacts of migration processes in rural and mountain regions, which are examined both at the European level and in more depth in 13 case studies.
Objective
The project aims to improve knowledge about the social and economic impacts of migration processes. The focus is on immigration of third-country nationals (especially refugees, economic migrants, family migration (family reunification) to rural and mountain regions. The analysis focuses on the impact of migration on rural development and territorial cohesion in rural and mountain areas in Europe. The central objective is to improve the integration of third-country nationals while promoting local development.
Status of the project and work 2023
Despite slight delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, internal reporting obligations were also successfully fulfilled in 2022. These include the case study report for Vorarlberg (WP5) in cooperation with the local partner okay.zusammen leben as well as various sub-reports within the framework of WP6 "Governance policy recommendations and solutions" (e.g. contribution to the Austrian report on "Policy recommendations and Solutions in Austria", presentation of good practice examples, etc.). All reports are freely accessible on the project homepage (matilde-migration.eu/). In WP7 on dissemination, the BAB held a thematic roundtable on "policy recommendations" together with okay. zusammen leben, took part in the summer school in Bussoleno (IT) and organised a national conference in Villach together with the Carinthian University of Applied Sciences on the topic: "The future of living together in rural areas" on 11.11.22. In addition, the BAB wrote numerous articles in book publications.
The project will be completed at the end of January 2023. Beyond the duration of the project, further publications are planned, e.g. in the open access journal "Mountain Research and Development (MRD)", as well as the presentation and discussion of the manifold results at national and international conferences and congresses.
Timetable
Start of the project: 02/2020
End of the project: 01/2023
