Focusing on the social impact of migration, this book explores migration as an inevitable part of rural development and transition in light of the sharp political divides in European and national political arenas on the topic. It provides an innovative immigration impact assessment based on recently conducted empirical work to enhance local development in European rural and remote regions, looking to promote change in the perception of migration and related policies and practices.

The book concentrates on third country nationals (TCNs), considering the spaces in which TCNs settle down as both the input and output of a process of collective production of places. Chapters analyse how the particular traits of rural and remote contexts interact with TCNs’ integration paths and impact, looking at how demographic trends, socio-economic dynamics and migration patterns to a specific region affect the opportunities, policy responses, societal attitudes and perceptions towards TCNs.



With empirically grounded recommendations and advice on strategies and solutions to improve the local governance of migration, this book will be a useful tool for European policymakers. It will also be an informative and interesting read for regional studies, governance and human geography scholars focusing on migration.