STAY OR LEAVE—UNDERSTANDING RURAL (IM)MOBILITY IN SERBIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI251223010D%20Keywords:
rural areas, mobility intentions, stayers, immobility, SerbiaAbstract
Individuals who remain in rural areas are commonly framed as those who have had limited or no opportunity to leave. However, the theory of immobility argues that staying should be observed as a separate voluntary process and personal decision. This paper focuses on the population's intentions to stay in or leave rural areas in Serbia. It aims to explore differences and similarities between local communities and among population characteristics. The study area encompasses 161 rural settlements in seven municipalities in Region of Šumadija and Western Serbia. The survey was conducted using a standardized electronic or paper questionnaire, with a total sample of 954 respondents. Applied tests included descriptive and inferential statistics and ANOVA. Results indicate that mobility intention depends on the respondents’ individual features and induces different immobility patterns in the sample. Contemporary immobility has become a matter of voluntary decision, rather than merely a reflection of a lack of options. About 70.0% of respondents declared that they intend to stay in the settlement where they live. It was established that stayers are middle-aged persons (50–64), predominantly with secondary education, who live in inherited family houses, engaged in various forms of employment, but are strongly connected to agriculture. Migration intentions are expressed by younger and highly educated respondents, and those who are not in a relationship or married. This study introduces the immobility issue into the Serbian rural and migration studies and contributes to the identification of potential directions for future research and policy development regarding rural areas in Serbia.
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