Migration and Spatial Justice: Urban Integration of Refugees in Border Cities
Migración y justicia espacial: integración urbana de refugiados en ciudades de frontera
Keywords:
Migration, Spatial justice, Refugee integration, Border cities, Urban inclusionAbstract
This article investigates the challenges and opportunities of urban integration faced by refugees in border cities, emphasizing spatial justice as a critical framework. Border cities often serve as initial points of settlement yet suffer from limited infrastructure, social services, and inclusive policies, resulting in spatial marginalization of refugee populations. Through comparative case studies from Latin America (e.g., Cúcuta, Colombia) and Europe (e.g., Lesvos, Greece), this research employs mixed methods including spatial analysis, policy review, and interviews with refugees, local authorities, and NGOs. The novelty of the study lies in its transregional perspective that connects border city dynamics with the broader debate on urban migration and spatial justice. This article contributes to urban studies and migration scholarship by highlighting how equitable spatial inclusion can foster social cohesion and human dignity in often overlooked urban frontiers.
Este artículo analiza los desafíos y oportunidades para la integración urbana de refugiados en ciudades de frontera, enfatizando la justicia espacial como marco fundamental. Las ciudades fronterizas suelen ser puntos iniciales de asentamiento pero enfrentan limitaciones en infraestructura, servicios sociales y políticas inclusivas, lo que resulta en la marginación espacial de las poblaciones refugiadas. A través de estudios comparativos en América Latina (por ejemplo, Cúcuta, Colombia) y Europa (por ejemplo, Lesbos, Grecia), la investigación utiliza métodos mixtos, incluyendo análisis espacial, revisión de políticas y entrevistas con refugiados, autoridades locales y ONG. La novedad del estudio radica en su perspectiva transregional que conecta la dinámica de las ciudades fronterizas con el debate más amplio sobre migración urbana y justicia espacial. Este artículo contribuye a los estudios urbanos y migratorios al resaltar cómo la inclusión espacial equitativa puede fomentar la cohesión social y la dignidad humana en fronteras urbanas frecuentemente invisibilizadas.
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