Contemporary immigration processes, such as forced migration and labour-induced mobility, as well as lifestyle and leisure-oriented movements, increasingly affect areas in Europe that are considered as peripheral or rural. This edited collection sheds light on the diversity of in-migration, its specific implications for development and strategies for coping. Contributions from various sub-disciplines of the social sciences, including human and cultural geography, sociology and spatial planning with different regional foci, encourage theoretical discussions, enhancing empirical knowledge and providing stimuli for practitioners involved in migration and development issues. The structure of the volume therefore follows four main themes: (1) conceptual reflections on immigration to peripheral rural areas and development prospects; (2) patterns and types of immigration processes, drawing on various case studies from all over Europe; (3) realms of integration: namely, housing, economy and social life; (4) immigration management with a special emphasis on regional and local strategies, undertaken by policy-makers, the private sector and civil society.