This working paper addresses the attitudes of the host society as an important component of immigrant integration. Currently, the research on attitudes towards immigration is dominated by assumptions focusing on the rejection of "strangers", while theories for explaining tolerant societal attitudes are less reflected in population surveys. This working paper introduces major con-ceptual approaches for researching attitudes that can foster integration, with a particular focus on the concept of "receptivity". The authors also provide an overview of the current state of research on the integration of migrants in rural areas. Furthermore, they develop a research concept for investigating reception patterns, attitudes of the host society and local discourses and their implications for the integration of refugees.