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Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 November 2024 | Viewed by 9783

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Prof. Dr. Apostolos G. Papadopoulos

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Guest Editor

Department of Geography, Harokopio University, 70 Eleftheriou Venizelou Street, 17676 Athens, Greece
Interests: rural development; migration; rural transformation; family farming; rural resilience; return to the countryside; transformative mobilities; rural commons; sustainable development
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Dr. Loukia-Maria Fratsea

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Department of Geography, Harokopio University, 70 Eleftheriou Venizelou Street, 17676 Athens, Greece
Interests: rural development; rural transformation; migration; mobilities; social and spatial mobility; sustainable development; qualitative analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the years, migration research has primarily focused on immigrants’ movement to and settlement processes in urban areas. More recently, attention has also turned to investigate the ways immigrants are emplaced and integrated in rural localities and small towns and to study social change and rural restructuring. In this context, it is important to place more emphasis on the processes, the socioeconomic preconditions, the challenges of immigrants’ settlement, and the complex ways in which immigrants’ movements across rural, regional, and peripheral areas are evolving. Numerous factors are considered critical when discussing the size, intensity, and duration of migration flows towards non-metropolitan areas, such as globalization, counter-urbanization, agricultural intensification/restructuring, climate change, changes in the political and/or economic conjuncture, etc.

The placement and social integration of incoming populations raise both opportunities and challenges, and therefore, various aspects and conditions need to be discussed in regard to the attractiveness and/or the resilience of non-metropolitan areas.

Some relevant pressing questions and debates include the following: Which are the major factors affecting the connections between urban and non-urban localities and places in relation to population flows? In which ways do inequalities influence immigration and mobility processes? What is the impact of immigration on the receiving non-metropolitan/rural areas? How does immigration interact with other processes in the receiving areas? What factors enable or hinder immigrants’ social integration into rural areas? Which are the basic roles of internal/international migrants and the new stakeholders in addressing the sustainability goals in rural areas?

This Special Issue seeks to put together a collection of papers presenting original and innovative contributions based on quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods, discussing specific case studies drawn from socioeconomic and/or geographical data, seeking to advance sustainability research in non-metropolitan/rural/peripheral areas by examining the role of immigration (international and/or internal) analysed from different perspectives and angles, and aiming to strengthen social resilience in rural areas and sustainable rural development.

Prof. Dr. Apostolos G. Papadopoulos
Dr. Loukia-Maria Fratsea
Guest Editors

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Keywords

immigration
international migrants
internal migrants
refugees
lifestyle migration
social integration
precarity
rural development
rural transformation
sustainable development
well-being
social conditionality
farming
intensive agriculture
transnationalism

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1133 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Urban–Rural Fringe Landscape Environment Enhancement on the Settlement Intentions of Young Talents

by Ruomei Tang and Xiangbin Peng

Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 8894; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16208894 - 14 Oct 2024

Viewed by 354

Abstract

As new urbanization and rural revitalization strategies are implemented, the relationship between urban and rural areas is rapidly changing. Accordingly, rural landscape design is becoming increasingly important for promoting rural development. Located at the intersection of urban and rural areas and offering unique geographic characteristics and developmental potential, urban–rural fringe villages offer a valuable setting for assessing how rural transformation and landscape improvement influence the settlement intentions of regional talents. Drawing upon the Landscape Affordance Theory and the Stimulus–Organism–Response Theory, this study develops a model to evaluate how enhancements in comfort, convenience, safety, and aesthetics within rural landscapes influence the perceptions of livability and settlement intentions of young rural talents. The research utilizes a survey of residents aged 16 to 45 in representative urban–rural fringe villages in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, collecting 230 valid responses. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26 and AMOS 28 to assess the impact of these landscape attributes on livability perceptions and settlement intentions. This study demonstrates that Perceived Convenience (PCV) and Perceived Aesthetics (PA) have significant positive effects on Design Satisfaction (DS) and Perceived Livability (PL). The research identifies the positive impacts of the four characteristics of rural landscape enhancement on PL, ranking them in order of influence: PCV > PA > Perceived Safety (PS) > Perceived Comfort (PC). Similarly, the positive effects on DS are ranked as follows: PCV > PA > PC. PL is identified as having the strongest impact on Talents’ Intention to Stay (TIS), indicating that improving livability perceptions is crucial for enhancing both design satisfaction and settlement intentions. Our findings demonstrate that improvements to the convenience, comfort, aesthetics, and safety of the landscape environment can significantly affect the settlement intentions of young talents in rural areas. Through field research and empirical data validation, this study highlights the positive effect of enhancements in four key areas of landscape design on the perceived livability and settlement intentions of young talents in rural settings, offering clear guidance for rural planning and design initiatives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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21 pages, 948 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Explore the Effect of Farmer Differentiation on Their Intention to Revitalize Idle Homesteads: Empirical Evidence from Shaanxi, China

by Mengyuan Lu, Bin Guo and Jianna Li

Sustainability 2024, 16(18), 8252; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188252 - 23 Sep 2024

Viewed by 677

Abstract

The revitalization of idle homesteads is an essential element in stimulating rural land resources and assets and promoting the integrated development of urban and rural areas. However, existing studies have paid less attention to the relationship between the differentiation of farm households and revitalization intention. Therefore, exploring the relationship between farmer differentiation and revitalization intention has become the key to improving the revitalization intention. The differentiation of farmers in the process of urbanization is an important factor affecting the intention of farmers to revitalize idle homesteads. This study defines “farmer differentiation” as a second-order factor and is based on the theoretical analysis framework of “farmer differentiation (FD)–farmer cognition (FC)–revitalization intention (RI)” to systematically reveal the relationship between FD and RI with a multi-dimensional perspective. At the same time, we analyze the mediating role of FC in the relationship between FD and RI. The data collected from 881 Shaanxi, China, farmers are analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). The results of the study show that (1) The dimensions of farmer differentiation (FD) are wealth capital differentiation (WCD) and reputation capital differentiation (RCD). (2) The formation of farmers’ intention to revitalize follows the logical relationship of “FC–RI” in the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior (ETPB), and subjective norms (SN) are the critical factor. (3) The logical relationship of “FD–FC–RI” in the ETPB has been confirmed. In addition to the direct positive effect of the WCD and RCD on farmers’ intention to revitalize idle homesteads, WCD will indirectly affect RI through the four sub-dimensions of behavioral attitudes (BA), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC) and homestead dependence (HD) under the FC conception. Meanwhile, the chain mediating role of the WCD and FC sub-dimensions in the RCD effect on the intention to revitalize cannot be ignored. Therefore, to increase farmers’ intention to revitalize Idle homesteads, policymakers need to focus on increasing WCD and RCD and helping farmers establish proactive FC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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20 pages, 3919 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Public Health Emergencies on the Willingness of Rural Migrant Workers to Return Home: Evidence from China

by Chuanfeng Xie, Tao Li, Heping Liao, Xinan Chen and Tingting Zhou

Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7375; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177375 - 27 Aug 2024

Viewed by 703

Abstract

In 2022, under the combined influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn. The employment landscape is grim, particularly for rural migrant workers, who are under immense pressure to secure employment. This study used structural equation modeling and bootstrapping methods to identify the influencing factors of migrant workers’ willingness to return home during public health emergencies and the potential multiple causal relationships, based on 2879 questionnaires on the employment status of migrant workers who are from Chongqing in 2022. The result of this study will be used as a reference by policymakers to formulate employment policies. The results show that: (1) Public health emergencies have no discernible direct impact on people’s willingness to return home. However, they have a significant positive effect on hometown belongings and a significant negative effect on income level and employment stability. These effects are ranked in order of influence: sense of belonging to hometown > income level > employment stability. (2) The willingness to return home is significantly impacted negatively by employment stability and income level, but it is significantly positively impacted by hometown belonging, with employment stability having the biggest impact. (3) There is a substantial inverse relation between income level and sense of belonging to hometown; the higher the income level, the stronger the capacity to withstand outside threats, and the greater the propensity to remain employed. (4) Three pathways exist by which public health emergencies affect migrant workers’ willingness to return home: “PHE→ES→HI”, “PHE→IL→HI”, and “PHE→ES→IL→HI”. (5) Income level and employment stability have multiple chain’mediating effects between public health emergencies and the willingness to return home, while only income level plays a partial mediating role between employment stability and the willingness to return hometown. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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15 pages, 629 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Employment of Migrants as a Response to the Needs of Entrepreneurs in Rural Border Regions—Examples from Poland

by Izabela Zabielska and Grażyna Kowalewska

Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5614; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135614 - 30 Jun 2024

Viewed by 948

Abstract

The aim of the study was to identify the needs of entrepreneurs in the context of labor shortages on the local labor market and supplement them with immigrants from Ukraine. The focus was on border enterprises from rural areas located on the external border of Poland and the EU. It was determined in which industries cross-border entrepreneurs are looking for migrants to work. A research questionnaire was created to determine the migrant’s profile from the point of view of the entrepreneur’s needs. It covered 400 enterprises, 100 from each of the surveyed voivodeships of Eastern Poland: Warmia-Masuria, Podlaskie, Lublin and Subcarpathia. Correspondence analysis was used to help determine differences in entrepreneurs’ preferences in the studied voivodeships. Entrepreneurs are most likely to employ qualified immigrants with professional experience in flexible forms of work. They expect that immigrants will be more available and will have lower wage requirements compared to local workers, which will translate into lower labor costs and better economic results. They believe that employing immigrants will improve productivity, quality and work discipline. The main limitations include ignorance or poor knowledge of the language of the host country, premature termination of contracts and working under the influence of alcohol. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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21 pages, 1488 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determinants of the Tendency for Migration of Nursing Students Living in Rural Areas of Eastern Poland

by Grażyna Kowalewska and Lesław Markowski

Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5498; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135498 - 27 Jun 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 745

Abstract

The economic emigration of young people from rural areas in Poland, and in particular the emigration of young medical personnel, is a relatively little-recognized phenomenon. What distinguishes this study from many works on related topics is that the subject of the study is the tendency or desire to migrate itself, and not the study of the migration motives of people who have already emigrated. The main aim of the research was to identify the migration conditions of young nurses from rural areas. An additional goal was to determine the directions and types of foreign migrations and their impact on the competitiveness and sustainable development of the studied region. The research was conducted in five voivodeships of Eastern Poland among students at state medical universities. The research tool was a survey, the essence of which was to provide data on the purpose of migration of young people, chances of finding a job abroad, and identification of push and pull migration factors. Based on the logistic regression model, a number of factors were identified explaining the tendency to migrate, such as economic factors, gaining professional experience, and prospects. The influence of factors pushing migration should be reduced through state policy tools. The intensity of migration may significantly impact the sustainable development of healthcare in Poland in the near and distant future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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19 pages, 527 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Direct and Spillover Effects: How Do Community-Based Organizations Impact the Social Integration of Passive Migrants?

by Caining Yang and Hongyu Xu

Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4530; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114530 - 27 May 2024

Viewed by 845

Abstract

With the rapid process of urbanization and constant changes in ecological environments, passive migration programs have been popularized among many governments worldwide as a prevalent adaptation strategy. Poverty alleviation resettlement (PAR) emerges as one of China’s flagship initiatives, as the government has shifted its focus from investing in villages with harsh natural conditions to the construction of centralized high-density resettlement communities in small counties and peri-urban regions. The sustainability and well-being of migrants within resettlement communities play a vitally important role in the effectiveness of this program. In line with the integration theory, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and a household survey covering 287 PAR migrant households were conducted to analyze how community-based organizations (CBOs) influence the social integration of PAR migrants. The findings are as follows: (1) Both participants and non-participants in CBOs show higher levels of neighborhood interaction, behavioral adaptation, and identity recognition. However, no significant advantage is yielded by their economic integration. (2) The mechanism of CBOs impacting the social integration of migrants varies between participants and non-participants. The social integration of those migrants participating in a CBO experience increased through cooperation-based social interaction, adherence to organizational norms, and enhanced self-efficacy. In contrast, the social integration of non-participants in CBOs within the same community results from such mechanisms as service delivery-based social interaction, social learning, and community solidarity. Therefore, this article highlights the significance attached to developing CBOs as a sustainable development strategy for passive migrants. Additionally, to better support passive migrants in eliminating poverty, governments are advised to implement sustainable economic support plans through CBOs, with a particular focus on long-term employment assistance programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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21 pages, 440 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Changes in Rural Family Structure on Agricultural Productivity and Efficiency: Evidence from Rice Farmers in China

by Donghui Song, Fengbo Chen and Xi Ouyang

Sustainability 2024, 16(10), 3892; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16103892 - 7 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1168

Abstract

Over the past three decades, China has shifted from a relatively immobile society to one where rural migrant workers are dispersed throughout urban areas, resulting in significant changes in rural family structure. Previous studies have tended to approach migrant workers as homogeneous groups within families. In contrast, our attention turns to the diversity among individuals and the complex interactions within families. Based on a survey of rice farmers in five provinces of China, this study aims to explore the heterogeneous impact of changes in rural family structure on the single-factor (i.e., land, labor, and capital) productivity and technical efficiency (TE) of rice production. Methodologically, we calculated the productivity indicator through the Cobb–Douglas production function. Following this, a one-step stochastic frontier approach (SFA) was employed to assess the production frontier and estimate inefficiency. To address self-selection bias in family migration behavior, we applied the propensity score matching method (PSM). The results reveal that significant outcomes are observed only with certain types of changes in rural family structure. The production decisions of rural families are influenced by the migration regions of their family members. Compared to non-migrating families (NM), families with couples’ joint migration outside the province show higher single-factor productivity and TE. We used multiple approaches to examine the results and came to similar conclusions. Therefore, enhancing social security measures and employment opportunities for migrant workers, with specific attention to supporting migrant couples, can have a positive impact on sustainable urban and rural development, as well as food security. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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18 pages, 1167 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Mediation Effect of Media: Artvin, Reverse Migration, and Social Municipalism

by Mehmet Kocatepe, Cemal Yorgancıoğlu, Mustafa Sağsan and Harun Şeşen

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14304; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914304 - 27 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1230

Abstract

Throughout history, migration has had a significant impact on communities, affecting populations, countries, and abandoned or immigrated places in both positive and negative ways. In today’s world, it has become a social element with undeniably profound effects on society and individuals. This study aims to explore the impact of municipal services on migration and reverse migration in Artvin Province. Furthermore, this article aims to fill this gap by analysing the mediating role of the media and examining the relationship between social municipalism and reverse migration in Artvin. This article uses the model of deviant case analysis to explain the phenomenon of migration in the case of Artvin. A quantitative approach was adopted and conducted in the provinces (Ankara, Istanbul, Bursa, and Kocaeli) to which people from Artvin have migrated the most. A total of 700 responses were obtained. The results show that there is a positive relationship between social municipalism and migration and that the media has a mediating effect between social municipalism and migration. While traditional media influence people’s decision to migrate, social media play an important role in the reverse migration decision. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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27 pages, 336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Migration and Rural Sustainability: Relative Poverty Alleviation by Geographical Mobility in China

by Ning Xu and Chang’an Li

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 6248; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076248 - 5 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1910

Abstract

Migration is an important way for rural labourers to break the uneven distribution of resources, earn more income and seek their own sustainable development. However, existing studies have focused more on rural–urban migration and less on geographical migration. Our study further enriches the existing research on poverty reduction and provides a theoretical reference for policy decisions to promote a balanced regional development. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2012–2020, we conduct benchmark estimates through linear probability models and estimate the impact of migration on the relative poverty of the rural labourer through binary probit models. The results show that migration could significantly reduce the likelihood of a relatively poor state of rural labourers by around 4%; the greater the distance of migration, the greater the effects; and migration of rural labourers in the central region has the largest and most significant relative poverty reduction effect. Furthermore, migration could also compensate for the disadvantages of rural labourers who are unemployed, less educated and in poor health, making them less likely to be relatively poor. We also use multiple linear models to examine whether migration has a significant income-boosting effect on the rural people and found a positive result in which the effect reaches its highest in the central region at 22.95%. Therefore, it is necessary to further break down the barriers to geographical migration of rural labourers, strengthen the public transportation system and pay greater attention to Central China in order to better promote balanced development among regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development)

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