Asikainen & McAreavey: Rurality and Belonging
In ‘We Are Here Our Hearts Are There’: Rurality, Belonging and Walking Together, Henna Asikainen (independent artist) and Ruth McAreavey (Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, UK) present their findings from a series of collective walks taken with diverse groups of migrants to encourage a greater sense of belonging in rural spaces.
The authors combine their collective expertise to conduct and reflect on organized walks in the rural countryside of the United Kingdom along Hadrian’s Wall. Hadrian’s Wall was explicitly chosen as a symbolic representation of exclusion and the contested immigration system both in the UK and other countries. By organizing these walks, Asikainen and McAreavey attempted to provide a welcoming environment that created a sense of place attachment to the natural environment and gave each participant a chance to be “more than a migrant” by telling their story.
The walks were organized in response to the immigration system in the UK, which the authors characterize as “hostile” because migrants are processed through the criminal justice system and are subject to the UK’s no-choice dispersal policy. Recognizing that the demographics of the UK rural countryside are primarily white, the authors utilize the modern concept of “rural cosmopolitanism” to emphasize the opportunities for hospitality, solidarity, and community that can be effectuated in rural communities. By hosting the walks in the rural countryside, the authors also attempt to foster a sense of place attachment for migrants in an environment they may not be familiar with, striving to create a personal and intimate sense of belonging among participants. These walks resulted in semi-structured walking interviews which allowed participants to discuss their personal stories and the creation of a “protest video” for use in other campaigns.
Asikainen and McAreavey emphasize both the implications and limitations of the walks. They point out that many migrants settling in rural areas in Germany, Denmark, and Sweden may struggle with similar questions of belonging. However, they also recognize that walks do not create employment or acceptance within the community's social fabric. Ultimately, the walks generate insights and questions into migrant belonging in rural communities and offer an avenue through which to explore how a sense of belonging intersects with the natural environment.
