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Research
 
 
 
 
Main research programmes of GRM & some research outcomes presented in congresses  

[THIS SECTION IS BEING UPDATED. THANKS]

Computer Platform Gives Visibility to Catalonia's Small Villages

A research team from the UAB, in collaboration with the Association of Microvillages of Catalonia, has created a Geographic Information System (GIS) for Active and Sustainable Hamlets (GISASH), which gathers information on the state of and services offered by the more than 330 municipalities in Catalonia with fewer than 500 inhabitants.

Bellaterra, 03/06/2019

An interdisciplinary research team from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has developed GISASH (Geographic Information System for Active and Sustainable Hamlets). This new online platform, which is free and openly accessible, offers information on the characteristics and the variety of services and resources available in small villages with fewer than 500 inhabitants. This type of places can be found across inland Catalonia.

Catalonia currently has 336 small villages, representing close to 35% of the territory and 35% of all municipalities, but in which less than 2% of the population lives, according to 2016 data from the National Statistics Institute. Created in a multi-participatory manner, nearly 20% of the small villages in 25 counties collaborated in this first edition of the GIS.

GISASH was developed by members of the Department of Geography, the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) and the Laboratory of Geographic Information and Remote Sensing (LIGIT), all three from the UAB. Also collaborating were the Association of Microvillages of Catalonia and other organisations related to rural issues. The application has been developed as part of the research project “HAMLETS. Immigration and Sustainable Development in Small Villages”, funded by Obra Social “la Caixa” with the collaboration of the Association of Public Universities of Catalonia (ACUP).

With a very visual representation, the new GIS website makes the small villages more visible by innovatively including a set of various data supply sources, which are then geographically represented. This makes it an effective consultation tool for those interested in living there, as well as for the administrators of these same municipalities and those politically and technically in charge of different regional areas.

“What previous research tells us is that new city people arriving to small villages looking to settle down may not succeed due to a lack of information on aspects such as available resources or facilities, relative isolation and limited working options; not to mention cold temperatures and solitude in winter in many of the mountain municipalities. In contrast, people from other rural areas in different countries learn to fit in very well, because they may know what kind of work and life awaits them. In both cases, having access to complete, clear and visually and spatially represented information on the small villages of choice can contribute to favouring the chances for success of a project of such vital importance," says Ricard Morén-Alegret, UAB tenured lecturer from the Department of Geography, associate researcher at the ICTA and Principal Investigator of the HAMLETS project.

Population, Schools, Social Projects and Work Types

At the moment, the GISASH feeds off five databases. One of them is made up of an informative file created by the research team based on surveys conducted with mayors, councillors and administrators [the current version displays data from the 2017 survey]. Each file contains important information on daily life, such as the facilities and services available in each village (schools, libraries, sports facilities, etc.), types of jobs available, local associations and organisations, housing available, social and environmental projects, etc.

It also includes four databases on public statistics with information represented through graphics and thematic maps, which can be stored and printed out by users:

- IDESCAT, with a dynamic connection facilitating access to permanently updated information on human population and migration, economics and employment, society and culture, as well as habitat and the environment.

- INE, with data on resident population and their evolution from 2006 to 2016.

- EUROSTAT, with data on Europe's population at local level (1961-2011), since the line of research behind this project aims to be able to apply it soon at European level and with that in mind already includes parts of Southern France and the border region of Northern Ireland.

- CORINE Land Cover of the European Environment Agency (EEA), which offers information on the use of land (agricultural, forestry, urban, etc.) and its evolution (1990–2012).

The GIS also allows users to pose a variety of statistical questions, based on a basic block of population movements.

“This geographic information system is a very useful professional and consultation tool for local administrations. Not only because it systematises the data and offers visual representations, so that we can provide quick, broad and precise answers to citizens seeking information on our municipality. Also because it allows us to adapt better to their needs”, points out Maria Carme Freixa, President of the Association of Microvillages of Catalonia and Mayor of Vallfogona del Ripollès (Girona province). “At the same time, it helps you get a picture of the diverse reality existing behind the term 'microvillage', and demonstrates that these types of municipalities exist throughout the country.

Basic Platform for Research into Microvillages

The new GIS web will allow the team of researchers more agility in the exploitation and analysis of data included in the platform, basics for the success of the HAMLETS project. For example, they will be able to delve more deeply into the reality and diversity of Catalonia's small villages, establish tendencies in population movements and, finally, recommend lines of action and policies in favour of their subsistence.

In this sense, the team will continue to work towards including more municipalities and finding ways to guarantee the application continues to work beyond the finalisation of the project funded by the RecerCaixa Programme, which is set for the first trimester of 2020.

Worth highlighting is the innovation at European level proposed by a system with the characteristics of GISASH. “Currently, there is no free and openly accessible platform for the study and management of small villages in Europe. Now, the technology has already been created and we must focus on increasing the number of municipalities participating and slowly add information to the databases”, highlights LIGIT Director Miquel Àngel Vargas and Head Technician Ignacio Ferrero.

“The system we have created will contribute to giving more visibility to the small villages of Catalonia and highlighting their value. Sometimes these types of municipalities are as close as a human settlement can get to a ghost place and, therefore, must be taken into careful consideration, especially those located further away from metropolitan areas or the coast, with the aim of avoiding the population depletion affecting other parts of Spain”, concludes Ricard Morén.

About The HAMLETS Project

The “HAMLETS. Immigration and Sustainable Development in Small Villages” project aims to research human geography, sustainability and the «to be or not to be» debate in the villages of Catalonia with fewer than 500 inhabitants. The Association of Microvillages of Catalonia actively participates in the project.

The main hypothesis of this project is that both local and international migration can be a potential for the social, economic, environmental and cultural contribution to a sustainable development of many small villages.

The global results of the project will serve to discover how to improve the arrival and settlement of migrants to the small villages, to establish actions by implementing sustainable development initiatives and to help municipalities with the arrival and settlement of newcomers with innovative solutions such as the already up and running GIS website.

See: https://www.uab.cat/web/newsroom/news-detail-1345668003610.html?noticiaid=1345790319501

 

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On 10 March 2019, within the framework of the 3th Convention of Small Villages in Catalonia (Spain), the Geographical Information System for Active and Sustainable Hamlets, GISASH was publicly presented in Copons municipality (Anoia, Barcelona). This is an open access tool that is the outcome of the research project titled HAMLETS. Immmigration and Sustainable Development in Small Villages (2017-2020), see: www.uab.cat/hamlets. This project is funded by the RecerCaixa Program, an iniciative promoted by Obra Social 'la Caixa' and the Catalan Association of Public Universities, ACUP. The HAMLETS research project is carried out from UAB and it is directed by Ricard Morén-Alegret with participation of the Geography Department, LIGIT and ICTA.

Photo: Eva Gómez

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During 2018 and 2019, we are continuing the HAMLETS research project (www.uab.cat/hamlets), including the statistical study with EUROSTAT, INE, IDESCAT, INSEE, CSO, ONS and NISRA population data, the exploratory qualitative fieldwork in various small villages in Catalonia, South France and the UK, the analysis of an initial survey carried out in June-July 2017 among representatives of dozens of village councils' representatives (mayors, councillors, civil servants), the participation in the activity RESEARCH WITH COSMOCAIXA together with a rural school in the Pyrenees, the preparation of the main fieldwork in Catalonia, Spain (and in France, the UK and Ireland), the presentation of the open-access Geographical Information System of Active and Sustainable Hamlets (GISASH) as well as popular science communication via Twitter, among other activities. See: https://twitter.com/@RicardMoren & https://twitter.com/LIGIT_UAB.

On 23 November 2017 took place in Madrid the kick-off meeting of the TransMENA Research project on Transnational Dynamics and Actors in the Middle East and North Africa (funded by MINECO, 2017-2020). This project involves over 20 researchers based in universities placed in four continents and is coordinated from UAB by Laura Feliu & Ferran Izquierdo, with participation of Ricard Morén-Alegret. That same day preliminary data and maps also linked to the research project titled HAMLETS. Immigration and Sustainable Development in Small Villages were presented by Ricard Morén-Alegret in the 20th FIMAM annual congress, held at @CasaArabe, Madrid city centre.

In July 2017 the website of the HAMLETS project was published on-line. (see: www.uab.cat/hamlets ). This website is linked to the Geographical Information System for Active & Sustainable Hamlets, GISASH, that we are developing from UAB. This GIS is a participatory open access tool that will be available on-line in 2018.

On 28 Abril 2017, the kick-off meeting of the research project titled HAMLETS. Immigration and sustainable development in small villages took place in Vallfogona del Ripollés, a small village located in a mountaineous inland area.

On February 2017, the applied research project HAMLETS had been selected in the open call for proposals RecerCaixa 2016, promoted by Obra Social 'la Caixa' and Association of Catalan Public Universities, ACUP (among 205 proposals, 18 projects were selected for funding). In English, hamlet means small village and, at the same time, Hamlet is the main character of an existential tragedy written by William Shakespeare. This project explores the human geography, the sustainability dynamics and the 'to be or not to be' debate of small villages (i.e. municipalities with less than 500 inhabitants). In Catalonia, the area covered by hamlets is more than a third of the territory, but less than 2% of the Catalan population reside in these small villages. This is a project carried out in collaboration with Associació de Micropobles de Catalunya (with its president Mª Carme Freixa upfront), but that has been granted to UAB, with Ricard Morén-Alegret as Principal Investigator and various participants based at ICTA, LIGIT, IERMB, DdG and GRM as well as Newcastle University, UK. The duration of the project is 2 years (minimum) and it is focused on Catalonia, within the European context (some tasks will be carried out in France, the UK and the Republic of Ireland, Eire).

 

 

* * * * * * * * *

A.) The main research programmes with competitively funded projects carried out from GRM during the 2009-2014 period are the following ones:

 

1. Foreign immigrants' integration, sustainability and territorial changes in small towns and rural areas.

In the framework of this area of research, is being carried out the R+D project funded by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (2010-2013), directed by Ricard Morén-Alegret and titled:

"Immigrants' integration and the role of a diversity of organisations in achieving sustainable small towns and rural areas"

 

Presentation and objectives of the project

News

Research team

Study areas

Main results and some pictures

Publications / Lectures, seminars and congresses / Doctoral theses

Click to see more about the project

 

2. Foreign immigration, organisations' geography and governance in big cities and metropolitan areas.

In the context of this reasearch area, outstands the research project titled Concordia Discors. Understanding Conflict and Integration Outcomes of Inter-group Relations and Integration Policies in Selected Neighbourhoods of Five European Cities, funded by the European Commission and coordinated by FIERI, Italy (2011-2012). It is possible to see some results from the Barcelona branch of this European project, coordinated by Ricard Morén-Alegret , in the following links:

Final report of the project in Barcelona: http://www.concordiadiscors.eu/assets/Barcelona-final-report.pdf

Background report on Barcelona: http://www.concordiadiscors.eu/assets/BR_Bercelona.pdf

General information on the Concordia Discors project: http://www.concordiadiscors.eu

CONCORDIA_LOGO_DEF

3. International migration, interculturality and transnationalism.

In this research area, the following project can be underlined: “Immigration and Intermarriage: Ethnicity and Social Integration” (Ref. CSO2011-23242), funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation – Government of Spain (National R&D Plan 2011). The PI of this project is Dan Rodriguez.

Some outcomes in this area of research published by GRM members are the following:

- Rodríguez García, D. et al. (2014) "Immigració, unions mixtes i integració sociocultural: cap a una anàlisi complexa multimètode", Documents d'Anàlisi Geogràfica, 60 (3), 627-657.

- Rodríguez García, D. (2012) Considérations théoricométhodologiques autour de la mixité, Enfances, Familles, Générations, 17: 41-58 (num. spécial "Mixité conjugale et définition de soi: regards croisés").

- Morén-Alegret, R. (2011) "When love comes to town and when it is missing. International migration, marriage, divorce and being single in small towns and rural areas in Spain". In: E.K. Heikkilä and B.S.A.Yeoh [eds.] International Marriages in the Time of Globalization. New York: Nova Science Publishers Inc, 104-116.

 

 

 

B.) Some research ourcomes presented in congresses during the period from Autumn 2009 to Spring 2014 are the following ones

 

Baby-Collin, V.
Attendre, rentrer, repartir? Stratégies migrantes et redéploiements des champs migratoires, l'exemple des Boliviens dans la crise sud-européenne
CONGRESS: Turbulences migratoires en Méditerranée : mobilité, motilité et circulation en contexte de crises
Séminaire ATRI du LabexMed, Aix-Marseille Université
2013

Baby-Collin, V.
El servicio doméstico en trayectorias de bolivianas migrantes a España
CONGRESS: Dimensiones del empleo domestico latino-americano. Organitzat per CIESAS, EGAP, CONACYT, IRD, CEMCA.
Monterrey, Mexico
2012

Baby-Collin, V.
Introduction to Latin-American migrations
CONGRESS: Conférence on Latin-American migrations, patterns of settlement and transnational Dynamics, UMI 3199 Transitions CNRS/NYU
New York, USA
2012

Baby-Collin, V.
Andean Concentrations and Bolivian Centralities in Spanish Metropolises (Madrid, Barcelona)
CONGRESS: 2012 Association of American Geographers Conference, AAAG
New York, USA
2012

Baby-Collin, V.
Transnational Social Spaces : Erasing, Making use of, or Suffering the International Borders?
CONGRESS: 2012 Association of American Geographers Conference, AAAG
New York, USA
2012

Fatoric, S.
“Climate change vulnerability in coastal proteceted áreas of Catalonia (Spain): The cases of Ebro Delta and Aiguamolls de l’Empordà”,
CONGRESS: Conference on European Climate Change Adaptation. Research and Practice
Lisboa, Portugal
2014

Fatoric, S. (& Morén-Alegret, R., dir.)
“Preliminary Approach to Climate Change Effects on Human Security and Migration in 'Aiguamolls de l’Empordà' area,Spain”
CONGRESS: 16th International Metropolis conference «Migration Futures : Perspectives on Global Changes»,
Ponta Delgada, Universidade dos Açores, Portugal
2011

Lubbers, M.J.; Miguel Luken, V. de; Rodríguez García, D.; Solana Solana, M.
"Interethnic partnering and integration: A comparison of the personal networks of immigrants in mixed-nativity and same-nativity couples in Catalonia, Spain"
CONGRESS: XXXIII Sunbelt Social Networks Conference
Hamburg, Germany
2013

De Miguel Luken, V.; Lubbers, M.J.; Solana Solana, M.; Rodríguez García, D.
“Medición de la integración de la población inmigrante a partir de las uniones mixtas: reflexiones a partir del análisis de redes personales”
CONGRESS: XI Congreso Español de Sociología
Madrid, Spain
2013

De Miguel Luken, V.; Solana, M., Pascual de Sans, À.; Carvajal, C.
“Migratory trajectories and social networks of the foreign population in Spain”, presentat a la sessió “New data and methods for studying international migration and trasnational networks”
CONGRESS: XXVI IUSSP International Population Conference
Marrakech, Morocco
2009

MAS, A.; MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
International immigration around natural protected areas in Spain and Portugal
CONGRESS: XIII World Congress of Rural Sociology
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
2012

MAS, A.; MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
Inmigración internacional entorno a áreas naturales protegidas. Explorando algunas localidades del Alt Empordà (España) y el Alentejo Litoral (Portugal)
CONGRESS: IX Coloquio Ibérico de Estudios Rurales
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
2012

Mas Palacios, A. (& Morén-Alegret, R., dir.)
“Indicators of Sustainability in Roses (Alt Empordà, Spain). A Coastal Small Town with Different Types of Immigration”
16th International Metropolis conference «Migration Futures : Perspectives on Global Changes»,
Ponta Delgada, Universidade dos Açores, Portugal
2011

Mendoza, C.
Migración y transiciones de jóvenes extranjeros en Barcelona (España)
14th Meeting of the Latin-American Geographers
Lima, Peru
2013

Mendoza, C.
Migration of students:  Human capital, educational training and labour market perspectives
International Geographical Union 2013 Kyoto Regional Conference.
Kyoto, Japan.
2013

Mendoza, C.
“Migrants on the middle”: Educational training, labour market choices and everyday spatial practices.
7th International Conference on Population Geographies
Groningen,The Netherlands
2013

Mendoza, C.
Explaining urban migration from Mexico City to the US: Social networks and place attachments. 
32nd International Geographical Congress
University of Koln, Germany
2012

Mendoza, C.
¿Ciudades de paso o destino migratorio?: El papel de las ciudades de la frontera norte de México en la construcción de circuitos migratorios México-Estados Unidos
54 International Congress of Americanists
University of Vienna, Austria.
2012

Mendoza, C.
Migración internacional e identidad territorial en la periferia de la Ciudad de México
XIII Meeting of the Latin American Geographers
National University of Costa Rica
2011

Mendoza, C.
Migración, gobernanza y gobernabilidad: Reflexiones en torno a la escala, el lugar y los espacios de los migrantes en la esfera política.
IV Conference of the International Network on Migration and Development.
Quito, Ecuador
2011

Mendoza, C.
Putting back “place” on transnational migration studies
International Geographical Union Regional Conference.
Tel Aviv, Israel
2010

Mendoza, C.
Experiencias cotidianas y construcciones de lugar de inmigrantes mexicanos en Albuquerque (Nuevo México)
International Seminar on Qualitative Methods for Migration Research, UNAM & Colegio de la Frontera Norte
Mexico DF
2010

Mendoza, C.
Reconstructing “desire” in everyday spaces in Puerto Vallarta.
3rd International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Emotional Geographies.
Adelaide, University of South Australia.
2010

Milazzo, J.
"Inmigración internacional y desarrollo de territorios (semi) rurales mediterráneos. Comparación de los bolivianos en Cataluña (Alt Empordà) y de los marroquíes en Córcega (Plaine Orientale)”
Coloquio internacional ‘El valor de lo rural’
Zamora, Mexico
2012

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
Foreign immigration, intercultural dialogue and sustainability in small towns: The case of Roses, Northeastern Catalonia, Spain
Migration, Media and Intercultural Dialogue Conference
United Nations University Institute on Globalization, Culture and Mobility (UNU-GCM).
2013

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
How do urban spaces affect integration and intergroup relations? (chair of working group 1)
Integrating European Neighbourhoods. Concordia Discors Final Conference)
Brussels, Belgium
2012

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.; WLADYKA, D.; MAS, A.
Foreign immigrants' integration in Barcelona, Roses and Castelló d'Empúries
2012 American Association of Geographers Congress, AAAG
New York, USA 
2012

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.; WLADYKA, D.; MAS, A.
Latin American immigration in Barcelona
Latin-American Migration, Patterns of Settlement and Transnational Dynamics Conference. Perspectives from Europe, the USA and South America
New York University (NYU), New York, USA
2012

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.; WLADYKA, D.; MAS, A.
"Foreign immigration and the 2011 local elections in Barcelona: Channeling diversity?"
Ethnography, Diversity and Urban Space Conference
University of Oxford, UK
2011

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
Ruralphilia, ruralphobia, urbophilia and urbophobia as useful concepts for studying immigration in rural areas and small towns
Social Mobility and Migration. Multidisciplinary Perspectives
European Academy (EURAC), Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
2011

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
Foreign immigration and official languages practice in Spain. Some research notes on the importance of language for the governance of migration
7th IMISCOE Annual Conference
Université de Liège, Belgium
2010

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.; SOW, P.; MAS, A.
“Foreign immigrants’ integration in the United Kingdom and Spain. A comparative approach on participation in traditional cultural organisations”
VI Congreso sobre las Migraciones en España / VI Congress on Migration in Spain
Universidade da Coruña, Spain
2009

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.; PASCUAL, À.; MENDOZA, C.
“Gobernanza, participación en fiestas populares tradicionales y procesos de integración de inmigrantes extranjeros en pequeñas ciudades de España”
VI Congreso sobre las Migraciones en España / VI Congress on Migration in Spain
Universidade da Coruña, Spain
2009

MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
“Antidiscrimination policy and policy-making, C9 WORKSHOP “THE MULTILEVEL GOVERNANCE OF IMMIGRANT AND IMMIGRATION POLICY”
IMISCOE European Network of Excellence, 6th Annual Conference
Stockholm University, Estocolm, Sweden
2009

Pascual de Sans, À.; Solana, M.
“Técnicas cualitativas en los estudios de la población”
XII Congreso de la Población Española
Universitat de Barcelona, UB, Spain
2010

Rodríguez, D.
“Testing the Relationship between Intermarriage and Socio-cultural Integration in Catalonia, Spain: A Multi-method Analysis”
Séminaire de l’Unité Migrations Internationales et Minorités
Institut National d’Êtudes Démographiques (INED), Paris, France
2013

Rodríguez, D.
“Parentesco multi/trans-localizado: intersecciones entre las teorías sobre migración y el ámbito procreativo”.
Simposio Internacional: Procreación, crianza y género: aproximaciones antropológicas a la parentalidad
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB
2010

Rodríguez García, D., Solana Solana, M.; Lubbers, M.J., Miguel Luken, V. de
“Immigració, unions mixtes i integració social: cap a una anàlisi complexa multi-mètode”
VI Congrés Català Internacional de Sociologia: «Societats i cultures, més enllà de les fronteres».
Universitat de Perpinyà Via Domícia, France
2013

Rodríguez García, D., Solana Solana, M.; Miguel Luken, V. de
: “La integración de la población inmigrante extranjera en Cataluña: anàlisis a partir de fuentes pre- y con crisis económica”
VII Congreso Migraciones Internacionales en España (Movilidad humana y diversidad social)
Bilbao, Spain
2012

Solana Solana, M.; Rodríguez García, D.; Miguel Luken, V. de; Lubbers, M.J.
“The personal networks of immigrants in mixed-nativity and same-nativity couples”.
International Seminar into Personal Networks
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB
2013

WLADYKA, D.; MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
“Towards a Mediterranean ‘Superdiverse’ Small Town? Immigration and Sustainability in Empuriabrava Neighborhood, Catalonia, Spain”,
2014 Urban Affairs Association Congress.
San Antonio (Texas, USA)
2014

Wladyka, D.
The neighborhood’s micro-geography and the inter-ethnic interactions. The case of Polish immigrants in Catalonia, Spain
15th Annual UTB/TSC Research Symposium
 University of Texas at Brownsville, USA
2013

WLADYKA, D.; MORÉN-ALEGRET, R.
Polish immigrants in Catalonia, Spain
2012 American Association of Geographers Congress, AAAG
New York, USA
2012

Wladyka, D. (& Morén-Alegret, R., dir.)
Immigrants’ Integration and Sustainability in an Ethnically Diverse Small Town: Exploring the Case of Castelló d’Empúries, Spain
16th International Metropolis Conference. «Migration Futures : Perspectives on Global Changes»
Ponta Delgada, Universidade dos Açores, Portugal
2011

Wladyka, D. & Morén-Alegret, R.
Polish immigration in Barcelona
8th Annual IMISCOE conference
Warsaw, Poland
2011

Wladyka, D.
Inter-ethnic relations of Polish immigrants in Catalonia. Preliminary introduction and background of the study on cross-cultural attitudes and interactions
12th Annual UTB/TSC Research Symposium
University of Texas at Brownsville, USA
2010

Wladyka, D.
Los migrantes polacos en el mercado laboral español y catalán desde una perspectiva mundial y europea. Estudio estadístico
VI Congreso Nacional sobre la Inmigración en España
Universidade da Coruña, Spain
2009