Beyond the urban-rural binary: spatial dynamics of integration, segregation, and radicalisation in Northwest Europe

Abstract

This paper examines the dialectical relationship between integration, segregation, and radicalisation across European urban and rural spaces, challenging conventional binary conceptualisations through qualitative analysis in the UK, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The findings reveal complex spatial dynamics wherein urban environments simultaneously facilitate intercultural exchange while harbouring mechanisms of socio-spatial segregation that may catalyse radicalisation. Rural localities, despite demographic homogeneity, manifest distinct integration challenges and demonstrate potential vulnerability to engagement in radicalisation, particularly through far-right movements. This spatial reconfiguration thus necessitates a reconceptualisation of predominant urban-centric paradigms in studies of radicalisation and extreme movements. The analysis advances theoretical understanding of how spatial relations intersect with identity formation, citizenship practices, and social cohesion across differentiated geographical contexts. These findings suggest the need for spatially attentive policy interventions that recognise the distinct yet interconnected social ecologies of urban and rural environments in addressing contemporary patterns of radicalisation and social fragmentation.