Rural Out-Migration: Community Consequences and Individual Migrant Experiences

Author Aileen Stockdale

Region

In the territorial limits of the Alpine Convention.

Publication type

reviewed

Abstract: This article examined the socio-economic impacts of out-migration on rural communities and rural families. Individual out-migrants were traced using a variety of methods. Data obtained provides new insights into the migration histories and experiences of individual out-migrants. Significant findings include: the out-migration of young people is not only expected but often encouraged among rural families, the out-migration experience is highly variable, family and community ties remain strong following the act of migration, most out-migrants lead successful lives becoming highly qualified, and few have definite plans to return to the host area. Importantly it is only by leaving the rural areas that individuals acquire the necessary social capital to aid rural regeneration, but few rural communities actually benefit.

Remarks: Socio-economic impacts of out-migration on rural communities and rural families; diversity and variability of histories and experiences of individual out-migrants; strength of family and community ties; going away to increase personal social capital, and potentially, rural social capital, but few of out-migrants come back.