Internal migration and an Australian rural community

Abstract

This thesis is addressed to the task of providing a theoretical and empirical link between two areas of research; namely studies of internal migration and of small community structure. It is asserted that migration and migrants must be seen as linked to the social context and an understanding of the process of migration stems from an understanding of this relationship. In pursuit of this goal the research focuses on the collectivity of actual migrants, the universe of potential or non-migrants and the social, political and economic environment which contained or continues to contain them. The first section of the thesis sets the theoretical and methodological scene. Chapters one and two outline the work done previously in the two fields of internal migration and community structure. It is pointed out that migration is rarely considered within the context of the community and also that analysis of community structure is infrequently examined in the light of the geographic mobility of local residents. Chapter three reviews the methodological techniques which were used and notes that a combination of participant observation and social surveys were adopted as best suited to the research goal. The second section of the thesis concentrates on the small rural community which forms the focus of the study. A general description of the physical environment is given in chapter four while chapter five examines the interrelationships of the various groups in the community. This chapter also considers the manner in which the inflow of a body of migrants has altered the interaction patterns of the indigenous groups. The third section turns away from community structure as such towards a consideration of the outmigration aspirations and actions of residents and ex-residents. Chapter six examines a proposition that potentiality to migrate is related to the degree of involvement in the local community while chapters eight and nine analyse the character, motivation and migration paths of mobile youths and adults. The final section is more general in scope, here chapter nine surveys the likely consequences of internal migration for the individuals and communities concerned and chapter ten provides an overview of the findings and implications of the study. Except where indicated in the text, this thesis represents the original work of the author. Show more