Social Entrepreneurship and Migrants’ Inclusion: Insights from the Adriatic-Ionian Region

This book offers theoretical and empirical contributions on the approaches, policies, practices concerning the inclusion of migrants through social entrepreneurship. Grounded in a multi-disciplinary approach and with a special focus on the Adriatic-Ionian region, the book offers a debate on the antecedents, processes and outcomes of social entrepreneurship and migrants’ inclusion, describing some innovative initiatives and their potential transferability in other contexts.

The Adriatic-Ionian macro-region represents an interesting yet overlooked area of research, characterized by evolving migration and inclusion policies, together with specific legislation and reforms for social entrepreneurship. The migration dynamics along the so-called Balkan Route confer to this macro-region strong political relevance in the field of security and migration management.

Contributing to the targets of SDG 8, the book contextualizes the opportunities offered by social entrepreneurship as a form of decent work for migrants, and of potential growth driver for local and international territories.

Stefano Bianchini, Full Professor of East European Politics and History, University of Bologna. He was Rector’s delegate for relations with Eastern Europe from 2015 to 2021. As an expert of Balkan issues, particularly on Yugoslavia and its successor states, he published 9 books, 29 edited books and more than 100 articles.

Federica Bandini, Associate Professor of Social Enterprises Management and Accounting at the University of Bologna and Fellow Senior Professor at Bocconi School of Management. She earned an ITP at London Business School, and a Ph.D. in Management for public and nonprofit organizations. She has been the Director of leading university programs on management of social enterprises and NGOs.

Daniela Bolzani, Associate Professor in Management at the University of Bologna. She has extensive research and teaching expertise in the domain of migrant, social, and academic entrepreneurship. Before starting her academic career, she worked for around five years as a professional in the fields of financial audit and international development in Europe and Africa.