Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SURDIM (Sustainable Rural Development and International Immigration in the Pyrenees)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-11-01 do 2023-10-31
International migration towards rural areas which is increasingly present in Europe have prevented (or slowed down) depopulation in some rural areas. Immigrants have played a critical role in agricultural restructuring and economic transformation in rural societies. The EU-funded research project titled “SURDIM. Sustainable Rural Development and International Immigration in the Pyrenees” has focused on the positive impacts (economically and socially) of international immigration in rural municipalities (fewer than 2000 inhabitants) of the Pyrenees. In doing so, SURDIM project has aimed to contribute to improving territorial relations and integration in rural territories.
The overall objectives of the project are (i) Analyse migrant pathways of labour/economic incorporation in selected French and Spanish Pyrenean municipalities to identify sustainable economic projects managed/supported by immigrants, and present successful experiences in terms of rural development, and (ii) Study settlement processes of immigrants in French and Spanish municipalities, analysing challenges for social incorporation in rural communities, and exploring issues on wellbeing and inter-cultural aspects.
Our results are important to society in the sense that they show a relatively unknown reality (international immigration in rural mountain areas) with potential for rural development. The SURDIM project finds that the interviewed immigrant entrepreneurs usually fit themselves into the economic sectors dominant in the area (farming and tourist-oriented activities). Their success partially relies on the variety of capital they possess, including human and social capitals. International immigrants occasionally play a key role in the creation and introduction of innovative products in very specific market niches that had been little explored in mountainous rural areas. Yet the companies they create are generally family-run, and they usually produce a slight impact on local development and job creation. Our results also indicate that immigrants show sensitivity when it comes to putting into value local, social, cultural and landscape or natural resources, which, in fact, are sometimes the reason why they decided to migrate into the "countryside”. In this way, immigrants help to strengthen positive values on sustainability, community, and sense of place. This is quite relevant in municipalities with aging and depopulation processes ongoing.
The overall objectives of the project are (i) Analyse migrant pathways of labour/economic incorporation in selected French and Spanish Pyrenean municipalities to identify sustainable economic projects managed/supported by immigrants, and present successful experiences in terms of rural development, and (ii) Study settlement processes of immigrants in French and Spanish municipalities, analysing challenges for social incorporation in rural communities, and exploring issues on wellbeing and inter-cultural aspects.
Our results are important to society in the sense that they show a relatively unknown reality (international immigration in rural mountain areas) with potential for rural development. The SURDIM project finds that the interviewed immigrant entrepreneurs usually fit themselves into the economic sectors dominant in the area (farming and tourist-oriented activities). Their success partially relies on the variety of capital they possess, including human and social capitals. International immigrants occasionally play a key role in the creation and introduction of innovative products in very specific market niches that had been little explored in mountainous rural areas. Yet the companies they create are generally family-run, and they usually produce a slight impact on local development and job creation. Our results also indicate that immigrants show sensitivity when it comes to putting into value local, social, cultural and landscape or natural resources, which, in fact, are sometimes the reason why they decided to migrate into the "countryside”. In this way, immigrants help to strengthen positive values on sustainability, community, and sense of place. This is quite relevant in municipalities with aging and depopulation processes ongoing.
1. CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN EU
The ER designed a Career Development Plan whose main objective was to secure a permanent position in the EU academy. This objective has been fulfilled, since the ER has obtained a permanent position in the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). The ER successfully applied for a Spanish Ministry of Science grant, under the programme for attracting and retaining academic talent. The project title is "Endogenous Local Development and Mobilities in Rural Areas of Spanish and Portuguese Peripherical Regions". During the length of the two-year project, the ULPGC compromises itself to create a permanent position as a Associate Professor.
2. TRAINING
2.1 ER COURSES
•Sexual and Gender Diversity. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 08/02/2022 -10/02/2022
•French at Alliance Française-Bordeaux. Level: C1. 09/05/2022-13/05/2022. Grade: 7,5/10.
•Data Management. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 24/10/2022.
2.2 MA SUPERVISION
The ER successfully co-supervised two Master students (Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability, UAB) 01/09/2021-31/08/2022
2.3 SECONDMENT IN FRANCE
The ER did a research secondment at the University of Bordeaux-Montaigne (France), at the Passages laboratory of the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). During the secondment, the MSCA fellow also visited MIGRINTER, a CNRS laboratory on migration and ethnic relations (University of Poitiers). The purpose of the secondment was bibliographical research, academic exchange, data exploitation, and fieldwork planning in France.
3. PUBLICATIONS
Mendoza, C. (2023) “International immigration and entrepreneurship in rural areas of the Spanish Pyrenees”. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin, 72 (2), 119-131. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15201/hungeobull.72.2.2
The ER participates in an edited book (Driving local economic development: immigrant entrepreneurs and the role of religion and ethnicity, Clara Margaça ed., Springer, 2024), and he is preparing an article on local development and international immigration in the Pyrenees, with Ricard Morén-Alegret (UAB) and William Berthomière (Bordeaux-Montaigne University), to be submitted at Sociologia Ruralis.
4. EXPLOITATION AND DISSEMINATION
4.1 CONFERENCES
• 2023 EUGEO 9th Conference. Organization of the session "New ruralities and international migration" / Presentation "Local developments and international migration in the Pyrenees". Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona, 4-7 September 2023. https://www.eugeobcn23.eu
• X Congreso de Migraciones. Presentation “Inmigración internacional y mercados de trabajo rurales en los Pirineos de Aragón y Cataluña”. Madrid, Instituto Ortega y Gasset, 14-16 September 2022 (with Ricard Morén-Alegret). https://congresomigraciones2022.com/
• 2022 International Geographical Union (IGU). Organization of the session "Immigrant entrepreneurship, international mobilities and sustainable local development. in rural areas"/ Presentation “Sustainable rural development and international immigrant entrepreneurs in Girona Pyrenees (Spain)”. Paris, Université de la Sorbonne. https://www.ugiparis2022.org
4.2 WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS
The ER presented results of the project in two workshops in Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (Mexico City, 14-18/11/2022), and Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (25-27/04/2023). He has also participated in the organisation of some sessions of the 18th GRM Seminar 18th GRM Seminar Series on Migration (UAB and ICTA), February-May 2022.
4.3 POLICY BRIEFS
A policy brief with the main conclusions and some recommendation for policy makers, business associations and civil society organizations was produced in four languages.
The ER designed a Career Development Plan whose main objective was to secure a permanent position in the EU academy. This objective has been fulfilled, since the ER has obtained a permanent position in the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). The ER successfully applied for a Spanish Ministry of Science grant, under the programme for attracting and retaining academic talent. The project title is "Endogenous Local Development and Mobilities in Rural Areas of Spanish and Portuguese Peripherical Regions". During the length of the two-year project, the ULPGC compromises itself to create a permanent position as a Associate Professor.
2. TRAINING
2.1 ER COURSES
•Sexual and Gender Diversity. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 08/02/2022 -10/02/2022
•French at Alliance Française-Bordeaux. Level: C1. 09/05/2022-13/05/2022. Grade: 7,5/10.
•Data Management. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 24/10/2022.
2.2 MA SUPERVISION
The ER successfully co-supervised two Master students (Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability, UAB) 01/09/2021-31/08/2022
2.3 SECONDMENT IN FRANCE
The ER did a research secondment at the University of Bordeaux-Montaigne (France), at the Passages laboratory of the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). During the secondment, the MSCA fellow also visited MIGRINTER, a CNRS laboratory on migration and ethnic relations (University of Poitiers). The purpose of the secondment was bibliographical research, academic exchange, data exploitation, and fieldwork planning in France.
3. PUBLICATIONS
Mendoza, C. (2023) “International immigration and entrepreneurship in rural areas of the Spanish Pyrenees”. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin, 72 (2), 119-131. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15201/hungeobull.72.2.2
The ER participates in an edited book (Driving local economic development: immigrant entrepreneurs and the role of religion and ethnicity, Clara Margaça ed., Springer, 2024), and he is preparing an article on local development and international immigration in the Pyrenees, with Ricard Morén-Alegret (UAB) and William Berthomière (Bordeaux-Montaigne University), to be submitted at Sociologia Ruralis.
4. EXPLOITATION AND DISSEMINATION
4.1 CONFERENCES
• 2023 EUGEO 9th Conference. Organization of the session "New ruralities and international migration" / Presentation "Local developments and international migration in the Pyrenees". Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona, 4-7 September 2023. https://www.eugeobcn23.eu
• X Congreso de Migraciones. Presentation “Inmigración internacional y mercados de trabajo rurales en los Pirineos de Aragón y Cataluña”. Madrid, Instituto Ortega y Gasset, 14-16 September 2022 (with Ricard Morén-Alegret). https://congresomigraciones2022.com/
• 2022 International Geographical Union (IGU). Organization of the session "Immigrant entrepreneurship, international mobilities and sustainable local development. in rural areas"/ Presentation “Sustainable rural development and international immigrant entrepreneurs in Girona Pyrenees (Spain)”. Paris, Université de la Sorbonne. https://www.ugiparis2022.org
4.2 WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS
The ER presented results of the project in two workshops in Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (Mexico City, 14-18/11/2022), and Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (25-27/04/2023). He has also participated in the organisation of some sessions of the 18th GRM Seminar 18th GRM Seminar Series on Migration (UAB and ICTA), February-May 2022.
4.3 POLICY BRIEFS
A policy brief with the main conclusions and some recommendation for policy makers, business associations and civil society organizations was produced in four languages.
Academic audience
The SURDIM project produced a published scientific article and two forthcoming publications. The ER participated in three academic seminars and two workshops. He also organised two sessions in academic seminars and participated in the GRM Annual Seminar Series on Migration whose target. The ER co-supervised two Master thesis students who concluded their master’s degree in September 2022.
Non-academic audience
-Policy-makers and key actors in rural milieu. It has been produced a policy brief with the main conclusions of the project and some recommendations for rural development in four languages (Catalan, English, French and Spanish) which has been delivered to policy makers, business associations and civil society organizations.It has been uploaded in the project webpage (https://atlantis.uab.cat/hamlets/en/index.html).
-General public. Several websites linked to the research team provides ongoing information on the project developments, including the UAB-GRM and the ICTA and the project websites. The web page of the project offers valuable information and cartography on the Pyrenees. This could be a useful tool for both academics and policy-makers, as well as for the general public.
The SURDIM project produced a published scientific article and two forthcoming publications. The ER participated in three academic seminars and two workshops. He also organised two sessions in academic seminars and participated in the GRM Annual Seminar Series on Migration whose target. The ER co-supervised two Master thesis students who concluded their master’s degree in September 2022.
Non-academic audience
-Policy-makers and key actors in rural milieu. It has been produced a policy brief with the main conclusions of the project and some recommendations for rural development in four languages (Catalan, English, French and Spanish) which has been delivered to policy makers, business associations and civil society organizations.It has been uploaded in the project webpage (https://atlantis.uab.cat/hamlets/en/index.html).
-General public. Several websites linked to the research team provides ongoing information on the project developments, including the UAB-GRM and the ICTA and the project websites. The web page of the project offers valuable information and cartography on the Pyrenees. This could be a useful tool for both academics and policy-makers, as well as for the general public.