Socio-economic differentiation and selective migration in rural and urban Sweden Department of Social and Economic Geography, Umeå University, Sweden (2006)

Migration selectivity Who are the migrants? Where do they move? –Segregation –Gentrification Rural and urban contexts –Segregation –Gentrification –Attitudes

Background 4 Studies –The attraction of the rural (who are the migrants?) –Socio-economic segregation in Stockholm metropolitan area –Rural gentrification –Rural or urban? Life values and attitudes toward living environment and housing Time –(1970) , 2002 Type of studies –Aggregated area data –Micro level individual register data –Survey Variables –Socio-economic and demographic –Survey questions concerning attitudes toward living environment and housing Methods –Descriptive statistics –Logistic regression models

Map of Sweden

Flows of migration

Who is the urban migrant? Young (19-25) Single University educated High income

Who is the rural migrant Older - net migration had an ageing effect on rural areas Families with children Married couples Self employed Comparing periurban to remote rural movers –Periurban migrants more likely to have high income and education –Remote migrants more likely to be self employed

Patterns of urban segregation An apparent north south division of the city High income in the north and low income in the south Reinforced during the study period Signs of increasing polarization

Patterns of rural gentrification Areas fairly close to large cities Areas connected with tourism Raised more questions –How many areas? –Segmented rural gentrification? –Women driving rural gentrification?

Attitudes: Rural or urban? Preliminary results show –Rural and urban people opposite attitudes If rural positive then urban negative Coupled with previous int. studies –Policy implications – economic development vs. preservation

Synthesis Polarization - increasing? (segregation – gentrification) –Between urban and rural areas –Within urban areas –Between urban and rural people –Rural areas? Migration In-migrants and locals Between rural areas

Rural and the nation: A new national anthem? Words in the suggested anthem –Cottage –Log house –Birch –Lake –Wonderful nature –‘falu’red and green –Nesting birds