Growing superdiverse, growing apart-Modes of incorporation of international migrants in rural areas

This article analyses the perceived impact of international migration on host rural communities from the perspectives of local stakeholders. Based on in-depth interviews conducted in two rural locales in Norway, we identify a consensus about the indispensability of international labour migrants for the demographic and economic sustenance of the host rural communities. At the same time, the perspectives of stakeholders convey a complex picture of labour migration. The perceived impact of international migration is related to the tempo of migration and to the prior local history of migration that affects how it is represented and handled locally. Depending on the context, international migration may be treated as a common-place phenomenon or as a force that profoundly affects the conception of the local community. Our findings illustrate a socio-spatial variation of responses to international migration locally and suggest the emergence of new local social divisions along the growing superdiversity of rural communities.

Automated summary

This article examines the perceived impact of international migration on host rural communities through interviews with local stakeholders in rural locales in Norway. The findings highlight the consensus that international labor migrants are indispensable for the demographic and economic sustenance of host rural communities. However, stakeholders' perspectives reveal a complex picture of labor migration, emphasizing the influence of migration tempo and prior local migration history on its representation and local handling. The article suggests that international migration can be seen as a common phenomenon or a force that significantly affects the conception of the local community, leading to socio-spatial variations and the emergence of new local social divisions in rural communities.