Project background:
Growing diversities of rural mobilities including labour migration, transnational ‘lifestyle’ migration, return migration and the resettlement of humanitarian refugees re-shape the ethnic and national composition of the rural communities and have an impact on community relations in rural. Equally, the limited access to the welfare services and increase experiences of poverty in rural places put more emphasis of the role of social and community networks in maintaining economic, social, and emotional needs of rural communities. These social, economic, and demographic changes are especially important in case of young people who remain central to rural livelihoods. Therefore, this project aims to examine the multiple relations between social connections, migration patterns and young people wellbeing in rural context.
Project Aims and Objectives:
The key aim of the Migration, Social Connections and Young People Rural Living project is to explore the patterns of existing social connections amongst diverse young people (age 16-25) and its impact on their migration decisions and more widely their experiences of rural living and wellbeing in rural Scotland.
The main objectives of this project are as follows:
Methodology:
Scotland, where this study is conducted, presents an unique case due to its distinctive economic and demographic situation, as well as political statements that are explicit about Scotland’s need for migration.
The project will engage with diverse young rural residents (16-25) living in Dumfries and Galloway region. Young people will be invited into series of participatory workshops as well as semi-structured interviews to identify their existing social connections and discuss their role in contributing to young people wellbeing in rural places.
Growing diversities of rural mobilities including labour migration, transnational ‘lifestyle’ migration, return migration and the resettlement of humanitarian refugees re-shape the ethnic and national composition of the rural communities and have an impact on community relations in rural. Equally, the limited access to the welfare services and increase experiences of poverty in rural places put more emphasis of the role of social and community networks in maintaining economic, social, and emotional needs of rural communities. These social, economic, and demographic changes are especially important in case of young people who remain central to rural livelihoods. Therefore, this project aims to examine the multiple relations between social connections, migration patterns and young people wellbeing in rural context.
Project Aims and Objectives:
The key aim of the Migration, Social Connections and Young People Rural Living project is to explore the patterns of existing social connections amongst diverse young people (age 16-25) and its impact on their migration decisions and more widely their experiences of rural living and wellbeing in rural Scotland.
The main objectives of this project are as follows:
- To map out existing patterns of social connections amongst young people(16-25) in rural and explore their role in supporting the access to social services (including health, education, housing, and leisure) and the fulfilment of economic, social, and emotional needs.
- To provide greater understandings into the qualities of young people’s social connections with particular focus on their level of trust and reciprocity, and its impact on decisions about staying in, migrating, or returning to rural places.
- To provide greater insights how the level and quality of social connections among young people in rural vary in relation to their nationality and ethnicity.
- To explore the barriers in developing social networks among young people and how these impact their rural living and wellbeing as well as desire to stay in or return to rural areas.
Methodology:
Scotland, where this study is conducted, presents an unique case due to its distinctive economic and demographic situation, as well as political statements that are explicit about Scotland’s need for migration.
The project will engage with diverse young rural residents (16-25) living in Dumfries and Galloway region. Young people will be invited into series of participatory workshops as well as semi-structured interviews to identify their existing social connections and discuss their role in contributing to young people wellbeing in rural places.
About Project Investigator:
The Project is conducted by Dr Emilia Pietka-Nykaza who is Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland. Emilia has more than 15 years of research experiences in the broad field of migration studies. Her expertise focuses on diverse experiences following migration, with particular focus on rural places.
The Project is conducted by Dr Emilia Pietka-Nykaza who is Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland. Emilia has more than 15 years of research experiences in the broad field of migration studies. Her expertise focuses on diverse experiences following migration, with particular focus on rural places.