The German labor market is characterized by diverse developments. In the context of flight and migration, two opposing dynamics can be observed: On the one hand, there is an urgent need for skilled personnel from abroad in many sectors (Krings 2022; Angenendt 2023). On the other hand, migrants and refugees coming to Germany face numerous challenges, especially when trying to integrate into the labor market (Andersson 2020; Bedaso 2021). This is also the case for (highly) qualified migrants and refugees in medium-sized towns (Enßle-Reinhardt et al.2022).

A glance at the relevant literature shows that migration phenomena are primarily studied in the context of large cities (Yildiz & Mattausch 2012; Nohl et al. 2014; Akdemir 2023; Ullmann & Schwenken 2023). However, migration-related diversity in Germany is not merely an urban phenomenon; it has become the "normality of society as a whole" (Pusch 2023: 11). There is a lack of focus on small and medium-sized towns, which represents a research gap. Through my research, I hope to contribute in a small way to addressing this gap. This is especially important considering that only about 31% of Germany's population live in large cities. Approximately 29% live in small towns and/or rural areas, and another 29% in medium-sized towns. A similar pattern can be observed for people with a so-called migrant background: About 32% live in large cities, 27% in medium-sized towns, and 26% in small towns and/or rural areas (ibid.).

Furthermore, research shows that in Germany—as in other migration societies—the knowledge, qualifications, expertise, and certificates of (highly) qualified migrants and refugees often remain unrecognized (Höhne & Koopmans 2010; Nohl et al. 2014; Eggenhofer-Rehart et al. 2018; Andersson 2020). Bourdieu's theory of capital (1986) has proven to be an appropriate theoretical framework in critical educational migration research for identifying and analyzing different dimensions of inequality (Weiß 2005).

The proposed paper is based on the project "Cultural Capital of (Highly) Qualified Refugees and Migrants in the Medium-Sized City of Landau." It examines whether migrants and refugees can use their cultural capital in the labor market of a medium-sized town, and if so to what extent and in which forms. Between October 2024 and January 2025, I conducted twelve narrative-biographical interviews with migrants and refugees in Landau, a medium-sized city in southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. These interviews were analyzed using the Documentary Method (see Methodology). Bourdieu's theory of capital (Bourdieu 1986) served as my theoretical framework, which I enriched with a transnational perspective (Kessler et al. 2018; Weiß 2005).

The paper is structured in six steps. After a brief introduction, I will first provide an overview of migration and flight to Germany as well as of the integration of migrants and refugees into the German labor market in general in order to contextualize my work (Section 1). In a second step, I will focus on the intersection of migration and labor market integration in medium-sized towns and specifically in Landau (Section 2). In the third section, I will briefly outline Bourdieu's theory of capital and key aspects of its transnational extension. The research design and methodology will be summarized in Section 4. The main part of my presentation (Section 5) will highlight preliminary research findings. Based on my interview material, I will explore differences and similarities in the utilization of (transnational) forms of cultural capital, taking into account the contextual conditions of the medium-sized city and factors such as reasons for migration, country of origin, residence status, occupation, and gender. In this context, I will also examine the different orientation-frameworks of the interviewees. Finally, I will conclude with a brief summary and outlook (Section 6).

In order to explore the interviewees' relevance systems, this project employed narrative-biographical interviews (Nohl, 2017; Schütz, 1983). In the first phase, 12 interviews were conducted with migrants and refugees who moved to Germany/Landau as adults with completed vocational training or a university degree. These interviews were conducted between October 2024 and January 2025 and will form the empirical basis of my proposed paper. To capture diverse perspectives in the first phase, the participants were selected based on factors such as their country of origin, reasons for migration, length of stay, residency status, qualifications, and professions. Gender balance was also considered. Access to participants was facilitated through personal connections with key intermediaries, including a doctor, a social worker, a mosque imam, the town’s advisory council for foreign residents, and local associations. The interviews lasted between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours and took place in my office in Landau. Most of the interviews were conducted in German. Only one interview was conducted in English. Each interview began with an open-ended, narrative-generating question, inviting participants to share aspects of their life stories related to migration, settlement in Landau, education, professional background, and entry into the German labor market. Key themes were subsequently explored using immanent and exmanent follow-up questions. The interviews were analyzed using the Documentary Method (DM), originally developed by Bohnsack (1999) and later adapted by Nohl (2010, 2017) for narrative-biographical interviews. The DM is based on the distinction between communicative knowledge—consciously accessible and articulated by participants—and atheoretical knowledge, which is unconscious but shapes action-guiding, conjunctive knowledge structures (Mannheim, 1980: 285ff., 225ff.). The overall goal of the DM is not to deeply understand individual cases but to identify key orientation and action frameworks that transcend individual cases (Nohl, 2017: 9). These premises are reflected in the DM research process: 1. Formulating interpretation: focuses on the explicit content of participants' responses. 2. Reflecting interpretation: reconstructs the modus operandi or the way participants articulate their responses. 3. Comparison: highlights differences and similarities between cases on the basis of a thematic tertium comparationis. 4. Sense-genetic type formation: typifies different orientation frameworks in which a topic is treated in different cases. 5. Sociogenetic type formation: examines the connections between orientation frameworks and specific social backgrounds. As this paper is based on work in progress, I will not present sense and/or sociogenetic type formations. My analysis will be based on the first three analytical steps.

The expected outcomes of the project "Cultural Capital of (Highly) Qualified Migrants and Refugees in the Medium-Sized Town of Landau", to be presented in the proposed paper, will contribute to the intersection of educational migration research and regional studies. The study builds on the international comparative study by Nohl et al. (2014), expanding it by incorporating two key perspectives: 1. Focus on Medium-Sized Towns: While previous studies, such as Nohl et al. (2014), primarily examined migration in large cities and metropolitan areas, this projects shifts attention to medium-sized towns, where about one-third of Germany's population resides (Pusch et al., 2023). Medium-sized towns often feature unique social, economic, and institutional conditions that shape migrants' integration experiences differently to in urban centers. By exploring these dynamics, the study not only fills a research gap but also broadens our understanding of migration diversity across varying spatial contexts. 2. Cultural Capital and the Labor Market: The research investigates how refugees and migrants with vocational or academic qualifications from their home countries utilize their cultural capital in Germany’s labor market, particularly in the context of a skilled labor shortage. Medium-sized towns provide a unique setting to examine how such capital is recognized, adapted, or overlooked, offering insights into both systemic barriers and opportunities. This perspective highlights the often-hidden potential of migrants’ transnational skills and knowledge, which are critical to addressing local labor market needs. Furthermore, my study also contributes to theory development at the intersection of education, migration, and regional studies. By providing insights into how different forms of cultural capital can be used in medium-sized towns, it will also contribute to the further development of Bourdieu’s capital theory (1986) by advancing the concept of transnational cultural capital.

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