IAMO researchers of the project “Transnational Families, Farms and Firms: Migrant Entrepreneurs in Kosovo and Serbia from the 1960s to today” (TraFFF) travelled to Kosovo for their first field trip. Zooming in on Serbia and Kosovo, the TraFFF project explores the social effects of migration and return on origin societies. The IAMO team focuses on the impacts of (return) migration on rural areas which are particularly affected by outmigration. From 26 April until 11 May 2023, Thomas Dufhues, Janine Pinkow-Läpple and Paula Sprondel conducted qualitative interviews with return migrants to rural areas as well as rural inhabitants from villages affected by outmigration. The first results indicate that (return) migrants have great potential to bring newly acquired knowledge, norms and skills to rural areas. However, they face multiple barriers when trying to implement them.
The TraFFF project is funded by the Leibniz Cooperative Excellence programme.
