1177 | 648 | The relationship between left-behind rural areas and human mobility: a conceptual framework of analysis | *Josefina Domínguez-Mujica; **Jennifer McGarrigle; ***Barbara Staniscia, **Amandine Desille; *Mercedes Rodríguez-Rodríguez
The concept of left-behind areas (LBAs) has grown in prominence in the academic literature. Originally coined by rural poverty research in the early 1970s, it related to people staying or being trapped in place by age, poor health and/or limited education. After the global economic recession in 2008 the focus turned to places negatively affected by austerity, globalization, economic and technological change. LBAs, often conceived as “hotspots of discontent,” face dual challenges associated with high levels of deprivation, unemployment and low productivity on the one hand; and declining community, civic assets and social infrastructure on the other hand. In a process of spatial divergence, productive places have been able to ‘pull ahead’ while left-behind have been unable to compete, being insufficient the public or private support to reduce such inequalities. _x000D_
While recent, the literature on LBAs is burgeoning and covers different tendencies and debates. Yet, there is less known about the impact of exit or of incoming mobilities – whether on local communities or outgoing individuals. Selective out-migration makes visible the existing differences between such people motivated to move in search of opportunities, and those less capable to migrate. This interpretation is rooted in migration theories. Yet, in the context of de-industrialization, declining agricultural economies, digitalization and residential capitalism, certain people and places have become increasingly disconnected from the spatial centres of the global economy and enabling new mobilities that LBAs could potentially harness. _x000D_
This paper explores the potential of new approaches implicit in the new mobilities agenda and their transformative development capability (lifestyle migrations, return migrations, international labour immigration, tourism mobility, migrations of remote workers, etc.). It also taps into the potential of place attachment and feelings of belonging to reshape the fabric of LBAs.
*Josefina Domínguez-Mujica; **Jennifer McGarrigle; ***Barbara Staniscia, **Amandine Desille; *Mercedes Rodríguez-Rodríguez
*University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain); **Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal); *** La Sapienza University of Rome (Italy)
ID Abstract: 648