Abstract
This article examines social innovation initiatives in European border regions that address the challenges and opportunities created by migration. Through case studies from the Hungarian-Romanian, Polish-Ukrainian, and Spanish-Moroccan border regions, the study analyses how communities develop innovative responses to migration-related social needs.
Key Findings
- Border regions function as laboratories for social innovation due to their exposure to cross-cultural interaction and mobility
- Social enterprises and community organisations in border regions develop distinctive integration models
- Cross-border cooperation creates opportunities for knowledge exchange and service innovation
- Informal social innovation often precedes and shapes formal institutional responses to migration challenges
Methodology
Comparative case study research in three European border regions, combining mapping of social innovation initiatives with stakeholder interviews and beneficiary perspectives.
Implications
The findings highlight the importance of recognising and supporting grassroots social innovation in migration governance, arguing that community-based responses often develop more effective and culturally appropriate solutions than top-down policy approaches.
