Work

Examining Infrastructures of Welcome in Regional Australia

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: National and local initiatives aim to encourage long-term settlement in regional/rural Australia by creating welcoming environments. This often involves facilitating multicultural events and access to settlement services. Drawing on qualitative research with migrants in regional Queensland, this article addresses how less explicit aspects of reception shape how welcome migrants feel. This includes migration policies, restricted access to formal support services, and limited public transport options. By adopting an infrastructural lens and highlighting the multiscalar and multidimensional nature of welcome, we demonstrate that the ways in which migrants engage with infrastructures that organize their social lives shape their experiences of welcome.

Source: Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies

DOI: 10.1080/15562948.2025.2609809

Authors: Bronte Alexander, Rebecca Wickes

Institution: Griffith University

Language: English

Topic: Migration, Refugees, and Integration

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: green

Funder: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council