Migratowns

Experimenting Migrant Participation in Small and Medium-Sized Towns.

PISTE Project — 2024-01-26

The volume represents the final policy and research output of the AMIF-funded project PISTE, focused on the participation of people from a migration background in Small and Medium-Sized Towns (SMSTs). It addresses the main findings and experiences developed during the project, targeting an audience of both researchers and policymakers. To this aim, after a set of foreword contributions from policymakers and experts and an introduction of the issues at stake, the first part addresses four key aspects of migrant participation in SMSTs: bridging figures, spaces of visibility, local capacity building, and preconditions for participation. These central articles combine PISTE research results with “lessons learned”, that are easy to check and useful for policymakers. Then, PISTE policy experiments in the four partner municipalities are presented, highlighting strengths, weaknesses and potential for replicability. Finally, the volume includes a Policy Brief, collecting all relevant recommendations tailored for policymakers of SMSTs willing to foster the civic and political participation of people from a migration background.

Migrating in small- and medium-sized towns. Experiences, challenges, perspectives for participation

Athanasia Andriopoulou — 2023-12-01

The volume, derived from the Scientific and Policy Conference "Migrating in small- and medium-sized towns: experiences, challenges, perspectives for participation", serves as an exploration of the challenges and opportunities linked to migrant incorporation in Small- and Medium-sized Towns (SMSTs). The conference, aligned with the AMIF PISTE project’s aims, focused on bridging the gap between decision-makers, researchers, and local communities to collaboratively address these issues at the local level. The collection of articles presents different standpoints, including both cross-national research and case studies from different European contexts. The first two sections respectively address the socio-economic dynamics of migrants’ incorporation in SMSTs and the challenges and opportunities introduced by migration in these localities from a policy perspective, while the last section present the experiences of local immigrant policy actors. In this way, the volume does not remain confined to the scholarly debate, but combines academic research with the experiences of policymakers daily acting in the field to contribute to a better understanding of immigration in SMSTs.

Practices of integration and local networks in Small and Medium-Sized Towns

Kerstin Schenkel — 2023-02-23

This book is based on empirical research in the four case studies of the project Piste. Firstly, a background analysis of the regulatory framework for migrants' integration and participation has been conducted for all four countries and localities (Bebra, Germany; Ferimignano, Italy; Voio, Greece; Ninove, Belgium). Through the policy documents' analysis, it was possible to distinguish the intended goals of integration policy at the national, regional and local levels. Secondly, an empirical study of local networks and practices of integration and political participation has been compiled using qualitative methods like focus group interviews and up to 30 semi-structured interviews in each case study. The interviewees were key actors from politics and administration at municipal and supra-local level, independent or publicly hired operators from social services, and civil society actors, including representatives of immigrant associations and individuals of migrant origin who are holding political positions. These analyses represent a step towards policy experimentation and the development of guidelines for integration and participation policies in small and medium-sized towns.