We are pleased to announce the publication of a new article in the Journal of International Migration and Integration, titled "Reimagining Migrant Integration Through a Socio-spatial Lens," co-authored by Tulya Su Güven, Eva Van Belle, and Veerle Buffel.
Although integration remains a central concept in the field of migration studies, dominant frameworks and discussions continue to focus primarily on structural and cultural dimensions. However, the everyday social and spatial dimensions of migrants’ lives, and particularly their intersection, remain underdeveloped within integration theory. This discrepancy is of particular significance for newcomers, who embark on the navigation of unfamiliar environments, the reconstruction of social networks, and the establishment of a sense of belonging and rootedness.
As part of the ongoing FWO PhD project "Navigating Life In Migration: Socio-spatial Integration of Newcomers", this hybrid review of recent literature proposes an advancement in the concept of socio-spatial integration, with the objective of examining and discovering the ways in which migrants’ spatial participation and experiences intertwine with their social experiences, eventually influencing place-based attachments, belonging and well-being.
The article offers theoretical groundwork for future research to better capture the socio-spatial realities of newcomer migrants.
Read the article here (subscription required): https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12134-026-01434-6
Citation: Güven, T. S., Van Belle, E., & Buffel, V. (2026). Reimagining Migrant Integration Through a Socio-spatial Lens. Journal of International Migration and Integration. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-026-01434-6
