Integration and Cooperation in the Context of Social Capital of Ethnically Diverse Local Communities in a Migration Situation

The aim of the article is to analyse the level, forms and manifestations of cooperation and integration between the members of two ethnically diverse local communities in which there are intense international migrations. Based on individual in-depth interviews, expert interviews and observations, an attempt was made to determine to what extent international labour migrations and ethnic and cultural diversity affect the level of integration in cooperation between the actual and declarative dimensions. The aim of the article is also to determine what is the nature of the local bond, in particular the neighbourhood bond. It has been demonstrated that economic migration is an important factor influencing the level of integration and cooperation in local communities: it results in removing the migrant from his or her community of origin, thus weakening the same level of integration and cooperation between its members, but also provides an opportunity to make new, lasting and significant acquaintances, including between people from the same locality of different ethnic and cultural origin. Spatial mobility can also cause divisions between its subjects and the rest of the community. The impact of international migrations on social capital depends on the time the migrant spends outside the local community. It is not the length of stay abroad that matters, but above all the frequency of visits to the place of origin.