Urban-rural relations as a source of transfer of knowledge: some examples from rural surrounding of Bratislava

In-migration is generally accepted as a decisive factor of rural social and economic development and potential rural regeneration. Intellectual quality and practical experiences of new arrivals with their theoretical and practical knowledge, and also with their network of interpersonal contacts, influence (or have the potential to influence) the social and economic development trajectories in positive or negative sense. It was supposed and now is observed the diffusion of innovation (mainly in behaviour) is very dynamic. New forms of neo-liberal behaviour of new inhabitants of rural areas are in the distinct contradiction with rural traditional life and contribute not only to the important, but ambivalently perceived structural changes, but also to the conflicts with locally born population. The aim of the paper is contribute to the discussion about developmental potentials of rural areas in the surrounding of Bratislava under positive and negative impact of in-migrants and their knowledge transfer into rural environment. We use the results of newspaper monitoring about “two tier†rural society, together with overview of relevant published studies in geography, economy, and sociology, and additional face-to face interviews with rural inhabitants.