Introduction: Elusive Hopes? Visions and Realities of Migrant Entrepreneurship in Yugoslavia and Its Successor States

This introduction to the special issue on migrant entrepreneurship in the (former) Yugoslavia emphasises the importance of historical context in understanding the migration–development nexus. The region serves as a valuable case for studying the developmental effects of migration due to its long history of out-migration and sustained efforts to harness it for economic development. However, unique historical circumstances—such as Yugoslavia’s status of the only socialist country permitting large-scale employment abroad while maintaining a self-managed socialist economy—limit broader generalisations, as discussed in this special issue. Following Yugoslavia’s disintegration, war and political upheaval further influenced migration patterns. Kosovo, the region’s newest state, illustrates how a large diaspora can respond to the development needs of a nascent nation. Drawing on the contributions in this issue, the introduction highlights the especially productive role of intangible remittances and knowledge transfers in fostering development. Research needs to address the social embeddedness of such practices.