Industrial districts and migrant enclaves: a model of interaction

Abstract

So far, the relationship between Industrial Districts (IDs ; clusters of interconnected local industries ) and migrant enclaves ( areas with a high concentration of international migrants from a single nationality) has been studied mostly by focusing on the emergence of ‘ ethnic enclave economies ’ within the district and/or by highlighting racist conflicts that achieved notoriety in the media. In this study, we contend that there is a more general and complex interact ion between the two phenomena. This interaction is mediated by the local context, national regulations , and the organization of the international market, among other factors. By focusing on the case of the ceramic ID of Castelló de la Plana (Spain), we sho w how this ID with a high rate of job formality, combined with other job opportunities and a unique ‘ institutional completeness ’ , set up the conditions for a non - conflictive Romanian migrant enclave that reached 14% of the town ’ s total population in 2012. Finally, and also con sidering another case study of ID and migrant enclave (Prato, and its Chinese enclave ) , we suggest a model of interaction that should be interpreted t aking into account the general dynamics of the international organization of value and the requirements of flexibility and reduction of costs that frame IDs.