“Welcoming Spaces” Migration and New Communities in Marginalised Regions

The presence of migration in non-urban areas is mainly related to the paradoxical coexistence of both restrictive migration policies and a proliferation of welcoming initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at (co-)creating “welcoming spaces” and are often driven by older residents and migrant people but can equally be the outcome of initiatives by local governments, NGOs, and businesses. This contribution introduces the potentialities and limits of these initiatives to create hybrid forms of hospitality and prospects to enhance local development. It opens with a reflection on the political relevance of welcoming spaces and their governance from an international and national perspective. Second, it reflects upon the social and narrative significance of welcoming and hospitality. Considering the intersections between the political and the discursive dimension of welcoming spaces, it closes with a recommendation to recognise the collective dimension of hospitality and to create the basis for re-imagining spaces of conviviality in non-urban areas to sustain fairer and more inclusive societies.