HUMAN LIFE COURSE IMPACT ON MIGRATION PATTERNS: THE CASE OF JELGAVA CITY, LATVIA

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1 Proceedings of the 207 International Conference ECONOMIC SCIENCE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT No 46 Jelgava, LLU ESAF, April 207, pp HUMAN LIFE COURSE IMPACT ON MIGRATION PATTERNS: THE CASE OF JELGAVA CITY, LATVIA Liga Feldmane, Mg. geogr. University of Latvia Abstract. The life course theory has become very popular in social sciences in last decades, and it can be used also in migration processes. The aim of the study is to assess human life course impact on migration patterns by study of previous research and the case study of Jelgava city. Such methods as analysis of theoretical literature, analysis and summary of statistic data and spatial analysis were used in the study. The migration to Jelgava was examined by means of analysing unpublished data from the Population Register of Latvia concerning persons declared and registered in the city from 2000 to the first half of 205. The results showed that life course influences migration patterns, and transition between life course stages often triggers a migration event. The majority of migrants to Jelgava were youth and families with small children. Correlation between life course stages, region of origin and destination neighbourhood in Jelgava city was found. Key words: human life course, life course stages, migration to cities, Jelgava. JEL code: R23; J; J6 Introduction According to previous research (e.g. Heinz, Kruger, 200), there are few areas in the social sciences which document the intensity of recent social changes better than the life course approach. In recent decades, the life course concept has become more popular and can be widely found in theoretical literature (Zhou and Moen, 200; McHugh et al., 995; Bailey, 2008; Karachurina, 206; Assuncao, 206) but usually it is used as a generally accepted concept. Basically, the life course is defined as a sequence of events and the social roles of the individual s life (Bailey, 2008). According to theory (Mitchell, 2003), these events and roles do not necessarily proceed in a given sequence but rather constitute the sum total of the person's actual experience. Thus, the concept of life course implies age-differentiated social phenomena distinct from uniform life course stages and the life span. According to Macmillan and Eliasson (Macmillan, Eliasson, 2003), the life course is described as a multidimensional concept between related trajectories - work, marriage and becoming a parent. At the same time, they unlike other authors indicate that the life course is age graded but like other authors they believe that the gradation is different for each individual. The aim of the study is to evaluate human life course impact on migration processes and residential preferences. The tasks of the study are: ) to study theoretical framework and previous research on the life course impact on people s migration patterns; 2) to investigate if human life course impacts migrant behaviour to Jelgava city. In order to evaluate human life course impact on migration processes, the fourth largest city in Latvia Jelgava was taken as the case study and migration to it was defined as research object. The following methods were used in the study: ) analysis of theoretical literature in order to understand theoretical framework of the life course impact on people s migration patterns and previous studies in other countries; 2) the analysis, grouping and summary of statistic data from Population Register of Latvia about persons in different age groups who have declared or registered residence in Jelgava from 2000 to the first half of 205; 3) spatial analysis to evaluate where were the main migration flows from and which neighbourhoods migrants have chosen in different human life course stages. Research results and discussion. Connection between human life course and migration in previous studies The life course consists of succession of stages in which person s social, economic, family and household characteristics change as he or she Corresponding author. Tel.: address: ljankava@gmail.com. 62

2 Proceedings of the 207 International Conference ECONOMIC SCIENCE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT No 46 Jelgava, LLU ESAF, April 207, pp ages. A transition between stages often triggers a Motives that were mentioned before also migration event and within each life course influence migration patterns in this age group. As stages the principal migration motivation changes it is known, access to education is higher in and hence the spatial patterns of migration (Rees urban than in suburban and rural areas. et al., 998). According to Mulder (Mulder, However, migration for educational reasons can 99), for a substantive interpretation of act in two ways: () education-related moves can migration dynamics more information about the offer the first migration experience, favouring migrants is needed than age alone. However, subsequent moves to find a job; (2) individuals although people do not necessary go through may also migrate to complete their education and particular stages at the same time of life, many find a job afterwards in their place of education authors have found out there is a general (Detang-Desendre et al., 2008). These effects association between age since birth and life are particularly important for young people from course stage. rural areas who leave their place of origin to Life course starts with person s birth, and obtain college education. When people have period from 0 to 7 years can be called as the graduated university, they usually start their childhood ages. During this period migration professional career and because of better activity is controlled by parental decision (Mulder, opportunity to find good and highly paid work, 99), because in this period usually children do individuals empowered with high skills and not have special alternative of choice, they have technological levels migrate from rural to urban to follow their parents. As some authors (Rees et areas as it is proven also in France (Detangal., 998) have mentioned, in this period it is Desendre et al., 2008), in the United States of expected that childhood and family ages, which America (Chen, Rosenthal, 2008) and in Russia can differ from 25 to 45 years, to be very similar (Karachurina, 206). and mostly influenced by the desire for safe and In overall, people in this life course stage pleasant environment in which to bring up prefer to leave rural areas and migrate to urban children. areas, where opportunity to get good education, When children have grown up at the age of 8 higher paid job is higher and where social life is begins adolescent and till year 29 it is young much intensive, and there they can also easier adult age. In this time, young adolescents start find cohabitant with whom to develop a family. to migrate for educational reasons or in order to When people have become stable in their own start their own life. To find out the motives why lives, usually they start to think about family people migrate, Mulder (Mulder, 99) carried formation and at this time, their view on the out a survey, in which people were asked to things changes and this age group mention main reasons why they migrated. (approximately age 25 40) can be called as Results showed that young people at age 8 2 family age. According to Mulder (Mulder, 99), mainly migrated because of educational reasons, people in this life course stage relatively often followed by marriage or cohabitation while migrate for housing reasons or to become homeowners, independence and housing search were less especially at short distances, because important. For young people at age 22 24, the now they can afford it and they start to evaluate main reason for migration was marriage and the suburban and rural areas as a better place searching for housing was still not such important where to grow up children. People at this age do factor for them, but at age the search for not move between different regions often, and if housing became one of the main motives for they do so, work is the main reason, followed by migration as well as marriage. housing and marriage. According to a survey in Corresponding author. Tel.: address: ljankava@gmail.com. 63

3 Proceedings of the 207 International Conference ECONOMIC SCIENCE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT No 46 France (Detang-Desendre et al., 2008), family changes are strong determinants of migration behaviour, showing the powerful impact of land rents on migration to suburban areas and migration tends to favour rural areas as household size increases. At the age when children are brought up, people have some years to continue career and then at the age of 60 or some years later retirement age has come. At this age, people want to spend their time in peaceful and safe environment and, according to Detang-Desendre, Goffete-Nagot and Piguet (Detang-Desendre et al., 2008) attraction to rural and suburban areas increases with age. In the same time, senior citizens are the part of society whose income is usually only pension. This means that amenities, housing prices, and distance to service centres are important elements in determining the location of these kinds of households, which are likely to choose a rural location as long as they can locate near service centre. Summarizing above mentioned, the variation in migration propensity by initial location reveals that human life course and its stages greatly influence migration. The tendency is that youth more than others migrate to urban areas but as individuals get older, they are less mobile and migrate more often to nonurban areas. In addition, family size influences migration patterns, because families without children more often choose to live in urban areas while parents with children try to find peaceful environment outside urban territories. Such tendency was observed also in the United States of America (Plane et al., 2005). 2. Human life course impact on migration to Jelgava city In order to assess the impact of human life course on migration processes to Jelgava city, Population Registers data about persons who have moved to the city of Jelgava were analysed. Data array contained information about almost persons who had declared or registered Jelgava, LLU ESAF, April 207, pp their residence in Jelgava from other municipalities in time period from 2000 to July 205. The results showed (Figure ) that persons at the age 20 till 30 was the most mobile part of society and Jelgava as a place of residence the most often was attractive for persons at the age 26. There were not observed significant differences in immigration patterns between males and females. Source: author s calculations based on the data of Latvia Population Register Fig.. Age and sex dynamics of in-migrants to Jelgava in period July 205 A significant part of all immigrants was children particularly small children at the age 0 till 0. As it was mentioned above, children migrate together with their parents, thus the results confirm that Jelgava is appropriate residence for families with small children who evaluate peaceful and adjusted living environment. As it was mentioned before, human life course is age graded and in this study data array was divided in six age groups taking into account the main life course events such as attaining legal age, studies in university, establishment of a family and reaching the retirement age: 0 till 7 years (included 6957 persons or 27.9 % of all data array); 8 till 24 years (included 4408 persons or 7.7 % of all data array); 25 till 39 years (included 7764 persons or 3. % of all data array); 40 till 55 years (included 372 persons or 2.7 % of all data array); Corresponding author. Tel.: address: ljankava@gmail.com. 64

4 Proceedings of the 207 International Conference ECONOMIC SCIENCE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT No till 6 year (included 852 persons or 3.4 % of all data array); 62 years and over (included 797 persons or 7.2 % of all data array). All data were analysed considering the municipality of origin where the immigrant had come from; later data were grouped according to the planning region of Latvia or abroad (Table ) and correlation among age groups and residence of origin was observed. Relatively large number of families with children had moved to Jelgava from abroad, especially with young children aged less than 3 years. Likely, these were persons who had gone abroad after studies or as the first working experience, had developed family there and later had decided to return to Latvia and to bring up children in their native country. Later in other human life course stages, there were relatively fewer persons who returned from abroad. Table Structure of migrants to Jelgava based on their origin region and life course stage Jelgava, LLU ESAF, April 207, pp in the city and which attracts youth from all the country. The results also showed that people in later human life course stages moved to Jelgava city from Riga region more often than in other life course stages. It could be linked to the fact that Jelgava as a place of residence is relatively cheaper than the capital city Riga and its suburban region, which is an important factor for the elderly. At the same time, social and cultural life is sufficiently active in Jelgava as well as the accessibility of different services is in high level, thus providing seniors with qualitative living environment. The data array also included information about the address where the person had declared his/her residence, thus it was possible to do spatial analysis in order to determine correlation between human life course stage and the chosen neighbourhood. Source: author s calculations based on the data of Latvia Population Register A significant part of the children moved from nearby municipalities in Zemgale (relatively, higher number was children at the age 5-7 when children moved from rural primary schools to the secondary schools in the city) as well as from Riga (particularly, families with small children). Compared to other age groups, young people at the age of 8-24 migrated to Jelgava from the outermost regions such as Kurzeme, Latgale and Vidzeme more often than people in other humane life course stages. It is certainly influenced by Latvia University of Agriculture, which is situated Source: Ozols, 204 Fig.2. Division of neighbourhoods in Jelgava In this study, neighbourhood division created by Ozols (Ozols, 204) was used, which offered to divide Jelgava in 8 neighbourhoods based on historical and housing structure indications (Figure 2). As the results showed (Table 2), the most attractive neighbourhoods for all human life course stages were the neighbourhoods situated in the central part of Jelgava (e.g. Old End, Middle, Boulevard End, New End) where the best Corresponding author. Tel.: address: ljankava@gmail.com. 65

5 Proceedings of the 207 International Conference ECONOMIC SCIENCE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT No 46 accessibility to services and shopping facilities were and where there were mainly blocks of flats. Though people in age group 8 till 24 have chosen central neighbourhoods such as Middle and Boulevard End more often than people in the other age groups. It can be explained by the fact that Latvia University of Agriculture is situated in the central part of the city as well as dormitories are situated mainly in the city centre; therefore, students prefer to live near university. A significant amount of migrants in age group 25 till 39, which is life course stage when people develop families and try to improve their living conditions, had chosen such neighbourhoods as Cukurfabrika and Raf, which were to the direction of capital city Riga with mixed buildings blocks of flats as well as private houses. Table 2 Structure of migrants to Jelgava based on destination neighbourhood and life course stage At the life course stages after age 40 when people have become financially stable, people had chosen also neighbourhoods in outskirts of Jelgava such as Linijas, Viskali, Ozolpils, Lapskalni, which were not such popular in earlier life course stages. Private houses dominate in these neighbourhoods, services are more difficult to access but living environment is much peaceful than in the centre of Jelgava. Conclusions ) Human life course influences migration patterns and a transition between life course stages often triggers a migration event - Jelgava, LLU ESAF, April 207, pp within each life course stage the principal migration motivation changes and hence the spatial patterns of migration. 2) Human life course influences immigration patterns to Jelgava the majority of immigrants were persons in age group between 20 and 30 as well as children in age of 0 till 0, which means that families with small children considered the city as appropriate residence. 3) Correlation between human life course stage and municipality of origin was found - young people at the age of 8-24 migrated to Jelgava from the outermost regions such as Kurzeme, Latgale and Vidzeme more often than people in other humane life course stages, while elderly moved to Jelgava city from Riga region more often than in other life course stages. Furthermore, families with small children more often returned from abroad to Jelgava than other people in other life course stages. 4) There was found connection between life course stage and the destination neighbourhood in Jelgava while the most attractive part of the city for people in all life course stages was central part of Jelgava, people in age group 8 till 24 had chosen central neighbourhoods such as Middle and Boulevard End more often than people in the other age groups. When people became financially stable and entered later life course stages, outskirts of Jelgava became more attractive for them. Acknowledgement The author would like to thank University of Latvia and the National Research Programme 5.2. EKOSOC-LV for financial support for this research. Corresponding author. Tel.: address: ljankava@gmail.com. 66

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