(Lifestyle) immigrant entrepreneurs in Spanish small villages: Rethinking international immigration in rural Alt Empordà, Catalonia

The article studies connections between local economics, entrepreneurship and lifestyle immigration in municipalities with fewer than 500 inhabitants in Alt Empordà, Spain. Using a qualitative methodology, it analyses the economic incorporation of immigrant entrepreneurs by considering in which ways...

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Main Authors: Cristóbal Mendoza, Ricard Morén-Alegret, Ruth McAreavey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Société Royale Belge de Géographie and the Belgian National Committee of Geography 2020-12-01
Series:Belgeo
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/44107
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author Cristóbal Mendoza
Ricard Morén-Alegret
Ruth McAreavey
author_facet Cristóbal Mendoza
Ricard Morén-Alegret
Ruth McAreavey
author_sort Cristóbal Mendoza
collection DOAJ
description The article studies connections between local economics, entrepreneurship and lifestyle immigration in municipalities with fewer than 500 inhabitants in Alt Empordà, Spain. Using a qualitative methodology, it analyses the economic incorporation of immigrant entrepreneurs by considering in which ways they contribute to the local economies. It also studies to what extent immigrant businesses follow purely economic benefit logics (or rather they are set up in search of a better quality of life). The interviewed immigrant entrepreneurs usually fit themselves in distinctive niches in local labour markets (e.g. cultural-oriented services). Their success partially relies in their capacities for creating locally based social networks, which are not only key aspects for business development, but also a source of wellbeing. This is in line with most lifestyle immigration literature, which argues that immigration is not only triggered by professional success, but also represents the search for self-realization and a higher quality of life.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 1377-2368
2294-9135
language English
publishDate 2020-12-01
publisher Société Royale Belge de Géographie and the Belgian National Committee of Geography
record_format Article
series Belgeo
spelling doaj-art-2a2e3c6a25f6400cb9f4d09a97c7e3e42025-08-20T02:27:27ZengSociété Royale Belge de Géographie and the Belgian National Committee of GeographyBelgeo1377-23682294-91352020-12-01110.4000/belgeo.44107(Lifestyle) immigrant entrepreneurs in Spanish small villages: Rethinking international immigration in rural Alt Empordà, CataloniaCristóbal MendozaRicard Morén-AlegretRuth McAreaveyThe article studies connections between local economics, entrepreneurship and lifestyle immigration in municipalities with fewer than 500 inhabitants in Alt Empordà, Spain. Using a qualitative methodology, it analyses the economic incorporation of immigrant entrepreneurs by considering in which ways they contribute to the local economies. It also studies to what extent immigrant businesses follow purely economic benefit logics (or rather they are set up in search of a better quality of life). The interviewed immigrant entrepreneurs usually fit themselves in distinctive niches in local labour markets (e.g. cultural-oriented services). Their success partially relies in their capacities for creating locally based social networks, which are not only key aspects for business development, but also a source of wellbeing. This is in line with most lifestyle immigration literature, which argues that immigration is not only triggered by professional success, but also represents the search for self-realization and a higher quality of life.https://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/44107Spainentrepreneurshiprural areaslifestyle migrationinternational immigrationlocal economies
spellingShingle Cristóbal Mendoza
Ricard Morén-Alegret
Ruth McAreavey
(Lifestyle) immigrant entrepreneurs in Spanish small villages: Rethinking international immigration in rural Alt Empordà, Catalonia
Belgeo
Spain
entrepreneurship
rural areas
lifestyle migration
international immigration
local economies
title (Lifestyle) immigrant entrepreneurs in Spanish small villages: Rethinking international immigration in rural Alt Empordà, Catalonia
title_full (Lifestyle) immigrant entrepreneurs in Spanish small villages: Rethinking international immigration in rural Alt Empordà, Catalonia
title_fullStr (Lifestyle) immigrant entrepreneurs in Spanish small villages: Rethinking international immigration in rural Alt Empordà, Catalonia
title_full_unstemmed (Lifestyle) immigrant entrepreneurs in Spanish small villages: Rethinking international immigration in rural Alt Empordà, Catalonia
title_short (Lifestyle) immigrant entrepreneurs in Spanish small villages: Rethinking international immigration in rural Alt Empordà, Catalonia
title_sort lifestyle immigrant entrepreneurs in spanish small villages rethinking international immigration in rural alt emporda catalonia
topic Spain
entrepreneurship
rural areas
lifestyle migration
international immigration
local economies
url https://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/44107
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AT ricardmorenalegret lifestyleimmigrantentrepreneursinspanishsmallvillagesrethinkinginternationalimmigrationinruralaltempordacatalonia
AT ruthmcareavey lifestyleimmigrantentrepreneursinspanishsmallvillagesrethinkinginternationalimmigrationinruralaltempordacatalonia