Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces. A Case Study of Regional Push and Pull Factors for Back-Movers in Northern Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Northern Norway

Per Åke NILSSON1
1 Holar University College, Department of Tourism, Hólar, ICELAND
E-mail: pan@hammerdalforlag.se
Pages: 87-94

Abstract. The background for this project is the ongoing depopulation of peripheral Arctic regions due to the centripetal forces which have dominated industrialization and later on globalization. Over the years measures have been undertaken to stop that process. This project tries to shed light on a part of these undertakings by putting focus on a special target group: people who have left the area and then moved back. The motives for these back-movers may be of interest for future actions and for counteracting the demographic problem. The study has its focus on a domestic migration context with life-style, education, work and social situation as pull and push factors. The impact on migrants and on the out- and in-bound migration destinations is also considered. A randomized semi-structured interview method has been used at a limited number of destinations. The choice of destinations for investigations has followed some principles: the interviewed people had moved back during the period 1999-2009 to the place where they were born. The main pull factor out was education and the main pull factor back was lifestyle. Housing was also important. The period of the migrants’ life-cycle had also significance. It is of interest to know why certain persons reverse the flow and move back and if it is possible to combine the positive “life-script” with back-moving. Or if the negative “life-script” really is negative for those who share it.

K e y w o r d s:  migration, globalization, life cycle, housing, reflexivity