Thriving or sinking? The emplacement process of Ukrainian refugees in depopulating, peripheral areas in the Netherlands

Abstract

The ‘free-to-work, free-to-settle’ feature of the EU's temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees has led millions to various locations, with the majority gravitating towards urban areas. However, due to housing shortages, a significant number have moved to peripheral municipalities experiencing depopulation. These refugees often find themselves in villages without a network and where the Ukrainian diaspora is small or non-existent. Reflecting on their settlement and everyday ‘unproblematic’ encounters (conviviality) with neighbours, colleagues at work, and networks at various institutions in Het Hogeland and Pekela, The Netherlands, this analysis explores the emplacement process of Ukrainian refugees. Based on this reflection, the paper aims to address the question: Which factors facilitate or hinder positive encounters among Ukrainian refugees in these peripheral areas, motivating them to (re)consider taking root in these host localities?.