Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Whole-COMM (Exploring the Integration of Post-2014 Migrants in Small and Medium-sized Towns and Rural Areas from a Whole of Community Perspective)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-01-01 bis 2022-03-31
Whole-COMM aims to: 1) push forwards scientific knowledge and theorisation on the key dynamics and causal mechanisms that shape the relationship between immigrant integration policy and community cohesion or fragmentation; and 2) to innovate policy debates and practices by empirically elaborating sets of innovative integration actions that do not only target migrants but engage all the relevant actors and stakeholders in the local community, to strengthen community cohesion and resilience.
To this end, Whole-COMM proposes an innovative whole-of-community (WoC) approach to the analysis of the integration of post-2014 migrants in small and medium-sized towns and rural areas (SMsTRA), that conceives of integration as a process of community-making:
1) that takes place in specific local contexts characterised by distinct configurations of structural factors in terms of i) local economy and the labour market, ii) demographic composition and trends, and iii) levels of socio-cultural diversity and historical relations with migrant-related groups;
2) that is brought about by the interactions of the multiple actorsthat shape the local community with their multilevel and multi-situated relations, networks, interests and resources;
3) whose outcomes are open-ended and can result in either more cohesive or more fragmented social relations.
By aiming at triggering processes of policy innovation in SMsTRA, Whole-COMM will provide an important contribution to improve the reception and integration of asylum seekers in localities that often lack resources in terms of knowledge and policy networks.
To this end, Whole-COMM proposes an innovative whole-of-community (WoC) approach to the analysis of the integration of post-2014 migrants in small and medium-sized towns and rural areas (SMsTRA), that conceives of integration as a process of community-making:
1) that takes place in specific local contexts characterised by distinct configurations of structural factors in terms of i) local economy and the labour market, ii) demographic composition and trends, and iii) levels of socio-cultural diversity and historical relations with migrant-related groups;
2) that is brought about by the interactions of the multiple actorsthat shape the local community with their multilevel and multi-situated relations, networks, interests and resources;
3) whose outcomes are open-ended and can result in either more cohesive or more fragmented social relations.
By aiming at triggering processes of policy innovation in SMsTRA, Whole-COMM will provide an important contribution to improve the reception and integration of asylum seekers in localities that often lack resources in terms of knowledge and policy networks.
In the first Reporting Period, the coordinators (Collegio Carlo Alberto and FIERI), together with WPs' leaders, have worked intensively to lay down the theoretical and methodological framwork for undertaking empirical research. More specifically, the first three months (January-March 2021) have been devoted to the preparation of Whole-COMM communication tools and strategy, while the scientific activity started in March 2021, with the online kick-off meeting. The first tasks the coordinator had to undertake regarded case-selection and the preparation of a State-of-the-Art report to provide the necessary scientific background and ensure a solid preparation of fieldwork research. Both tasks were successfully carried out in the Spring-Summer 2021. The Case selection was conducted in a rigorous way and based on a series of key variables, including: the size of the locality, key structural conditions (unemployment levels, changes in unemployment over time, demographic trends in the last decade), the experience with cultural diversity of localities, the political affiliation of local governments, the type of institutional system (centralised or federal). 46 cases were identified throughout the 10 countries covered by Whole-COMM (and different regions within these countries) in order to maximise the number of combinations in the values of our key variables (for details: First Whole-COMM Working Paper, deliverable D2.1 published online on the project's website).
The preparation of fieldwork started in August 2021. The CCA team has ensured a continuous scientific coordination among WPs leaders and researchers. Furthermore, two training meetings have been organized by WP2 in collaboration with WP5: a training on focus groups and a training on in-depth interviews with migrants. Following the planned schedule, WP3 has engaged in the drafting of the research instruments and methodological guidelines for the empirical analyses, including: a) interview protocols; b) questionnaire for the online standardized survey on policy networks; c) templates for data collection on media sources and official documents. These research instruments have been then discussed with the coordinators and the leaders of WP4 and WP5 in order to exploit synergies between the work of the three WPs.
Fieldwork stated in October 2021 and notwithstanding the difficulties caused by the covid-19 pandemic restrictions, has been on the overall carried out successfully. As illustrated in more details in the technical report, a total of 598 qualitative interviews and 371 online surveys have been collected. Between March and April 2022, partners have analysed the collected data following the research protocols prepared by WP3 leaders in order to describe the dynamics and relationships on the integration of post-2014 migrants in SMsTRA. Survey data has been analysed through the use of quantitative Social Network Analysis (SNA) in a centralised manner by CCA. To deal with the delays caused by Covid-19 a slight deferral of the deadlines for WP3 deliverables was deemed necessary and agreed among the partners. The WP3 country reports are now due by the end of May 2022 instead of March as originally expected.
The preparation of fieldwork started in August 2021. The CCA team has ensured a continuous scientific coordination among WPs leaders and researchers. Furthermore, two training meetings have been organized by WP2 in collaboration with WP5: a training on focus groups and a training on in-depth interviews with migrants. Following the planned schedule, WP3 has engaged in the drafting of the research instruments and methodological guidelines for the empirical analyses, including: a) interview protocols; b) questionnaire for the online standardized survey on policy networks; c) templates for data collection on media sources and official documents. These research instruments have been then discussed with the coordinators and the leaders of WP4 and WP5 in order to exploit synergies between the work of the three WPs.
Fieldwork stated in October 2021 and notwithstanding the difficulties caused by the covid-19 pandemic restrictions, has been on the overall carried out successfully. As illustrated in more details in the technical report, a total of 598 qualitative interviews and 371 online surveys have been collected. Between March and April 2022, partners have analysed the collected data following the research protocols prepared by WP3 leaders in order to describe the dynamics and relationships on the integration of post-2014 migrants in SMsTRA. Survey data has been analysed through the use of quantitative Social Network Analysis (SNA) in a centralised manner by CCA. To deal with the delays caused by Covid-19 a slight deferral of the deadlines for WP3 deliverables was deemed necessary and agreed among the partners. The WP3 country reports are now due by the end of May 2022 instead of March as originally expected.
By proposing an innovative whole-of-community (WoC) approach to the analysis of the integration of post-2014 migrants in small and medium-sized towns and rural areas (SMsTRA), Whole-COMM will reach beyond the state of the art in three main respects: 1) theory and scientific analysis; 2) methodology; 3) policy impact.
1) In terms of theoretical innovation, Whole-COMM has the ambition to stimulate a wide reflection on established concepts and theories. In this respect, the First Whole-COMM Working Paper already systematizes existing literature while at the same time proposing an innovative case-selection strategy based on a typology of localities that takes into account structural (economic and demographic trends) and socio-cultural variables. Building on these footsteps, in the course of the project WP2 will continue to work as a laboratory for theoretical innovation, where the WoC perspective will undergo a process of in-depth theoretical and conceptual refinement.
2) In terms of methodological innovation, Whole-COMM proposes a novel multi-methods approach, where research results generated through different methods speak to each other. By conceptualising integration as a WoC process, Whole-COMM will contribute to a breaking of methodological barriers and to a bridging across different quantiative and qualitative traditions. The work undertaken by WP3 reflects such a goal, since it has combined qualitative documents analysis and interviewing with an online survey aimed at reconstructing policymakers and stakeholders relations on post-2014 migrants' integration policy.
3) In terms of policy practice, Whole-COMM aims to go beyond research-policy dialogues and push them forwards to promote the co-creation of specific, community-tailored policy actions. Whole-COMM aims to directly engage local stakeholders with the intention of stimulating their ownership of the project in order to increase the likelihood of real utility and exploitation of the project’s results.
In other words, Whole-COMM will contribute to improved practices, policies and strategies at local, national and EU levels for the integration of migrants in European urban and local settings, helping to increase the possibilities for migrants to thrive and flourish in the labour market and in society. Improved local strategies and practices are all the more important in the current context of the Ukrainian crisis, that is likely to rise new challenges for small localities across Europe, still struggling with the consequences of Covid-19 economic slowdown.
1) In terms of theoretical innovation, Whole-COMM has the ambition to stimulate a wide reflection on established concepts and theories. In this respect, the First Whole-COMM Working Paper already systematizes existing literature while at the same time proposing an innovative case-selection strategy based on a typology of localities that takes into account structural (economic and demographic trends) and socio-cultural variables. Building on these footsteps, in the course of the project WP2 will continue to work as a laboratory for theoretical innovation, where the WoC perspective will undergo a process of in-depth theoretical and conceptual refinement.
2) In terms of methodological innovation, Whole-COMM proposes a novel multi-methods approach, where research results generated through different methods speak to each other. By conceptualising integration as a WoC process, Whole-COMM will contribute to a breaking of methodological barriers and to a bridging across different quantiative and qualitative traditions. The work undertaken by WP3 reflects such a goal, since it has combined qualitative documents analysis and interviewing with an online survey aimed at reconstructing policymakers and stakeholders relations on post-2014 migrants' integration policy.
3) In terms of policy practice, Whole-COMM aims to go beyond research-policy dialogues and push them forwards to promote the co-creation of specific, community-tailored policy actions. Whole-COMM aims to directly engage local stakeholders with the intention of stimulating their ownership of the project in order to increase the likelihood of real utility and exploitation of the project’s results.
In other words, Whole-COMM will contribute to improved practices, policies and strategies at local, national and EU levels for the integration of migrants in European urban and local settings, helping to increase the possibilities for migrants to thrive and flourish in the labour market and in society. Improved local strategies and practices are all the more important in the current context of the Ukrainian crisis, that is likely to rise new challenges for small localities across Europe, still struggling with the consequences of Covid-19 economic slowdown.