Migrating in small- and medium-sized towns. Experiences, challenges, perspectives for participation. - Proceedings of the mid-term PISTE Conference, Thessaloniki, 13-14/03/2023 #746506

The volume, derived from the PISTE Scientific and Policy Conference "Migrating in small- and medium-sized towns: experiences, challenges, perspectives for participation", serves as an encompassing exploration of the challenges and opportunities associated with migrant incorporation in Small- and Medium-sized Towns (SMSTs). The conference, aligned with the objectives of the AMIF PISTE project, focused on bridging the gap between decision-makers, researchers, and local communities to collaboratively address integration challenges at the local level. The collection of articles presents a variety of standpoints on the issue at stake and includes both cross-national research and case studies from different national contexts across Europe. The first two sections respectively address the socio-economic dynamics of immigrants’ incorporation in SMSTs and the challenges and opportunities that immigration flows introduce in these localities from a policy perspective, while the last section is dedicated to pointing out the direct experiences of local policy actors dealing with immigration in these contexts. In this way, the volume does not remain confined to the scholarly debate, but it combines rigorous academic research with the experiences of policymakers daily acting in the field, in order to contribute to a better understanding of SMSTs as immigration destinations.