Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21861/HGG.2022.84.02.03
Social innovation approaches to support integration of non-EU Migrants in rural Central Europe: lessons learned, conclusions drawn
Serhii Svynarets
orcid.org/0000-0003-4871-9180
; Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL), Leipzig, Germany
Tim Leibert
; Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL), Leipzig, Germany
Lucia Mrázová
; Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL), Leipzig, Germany
Roman Mikhaylov
; Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL), Leipzig, Germany
Abstract
In recent years, many rural regions of Central Europe have witnessed a massive inflow of non-EU nationals, turning them into new migration destinations (NDMs). The majority of these regions were not prepared for this change and international migration became a hot-button topic. However, as the negative consequences of demographic change are getting more prominent in rural Central Europe, these regions should search for new ways to stimulate the integration of newly-arrived migrants. This can be done with the help of “social innovations.” This paper provides a literature overview on the aforementioned topics, as well as an analysis of the results of the Arrival Regions Project (Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE) that tested nine different social innovation approaches to support the integration of non-EU nationals in rural Central Europe. The results of the project confirmed that social innovation approaches are an effective and easy-toimplement way to support integration of non-EU nationals living in rural Central Europe.
Keywords
rural regions; Central Europe; new migration destination; integration; non-EU migrants; social innovation
Hrčak ID:
288346
URI
Publication date:
23.12.2022.
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