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This dissertation explores rural communities that host asylum seekers. The central research question asks: "What are the meanings of place and locality in rural areas during the establishment and operation of a reception center?" The research is situated within the tradition of studying new immigrant destinations (NID), a field that examines immigration processes in rural areas.

The dissertation consists of four peer reviewed articles and a summary that synthesizes their findings. The aim of the research is to enhance understanding of how vulnerable asylum seekers are received in rural areas.

The case study in this research focuses on Kauhava, a rural municipality in Finland. The broader study consists of an integrative literature review related to the nimby (Not In My Back Yard) concept and a local study utilizing media and interview data.

The qualitative data analysis methods include thematic categorization analysis, which examines the categorization of local residents and asylum seekers (sub-study II), content analysis which focuses on agency (sub-study III), and actor-network analysis, which explores relational communities (sub-study IV). The philosophical foundations of the research are rooted in ethnomethodology and phenomenological-hermeneutic thinking.

The research shows that place and locality influence how asylum seekers are received in rural areas. Local identity, attachment to place, and past events influence attitudes towards the establishment of a reception center. Rural areas are partly defined as exclusionary places. Yet, they can also foster community acceptance through volunteer work and everyday encounters.

The research indicates that the challenges faced by new immigrant destinations are primarily human rights issues, highlighting the need for more anti-racist research to support the development of structures that accept asylum seekers. Keywords: place, rural, community, reception centre, asylum seeker, nimby (Not In My Back Yard).