Super-Movers vs Non-Movers: Childhood Internal Mobility in Sweden

Karen Haandrikman , Stockholm University, Dept of Human Geography
Louisa Vogiazides, Stockholm University
Rafael Costa , Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI)-KNAW/University of Groningen

The aim of this paper is to examine the social stratification of childhood internal mobility in Sweden. It builds on literature on a life course perspective on migration, more specifically on the social stratification effects of children who experience parental separation; as well as on literature showing that frequent childhood moves are associated with negative effects on health and well-being. In terms of social stratification, we will focus on diversity in socio-economic status and migrant status, comparing children born in Sweden with parents born in Sweden and those who have parents born abroad. We use longitudinal register data, following two cohorts of children born in 1990-94 and 2000-04, following them from age 0 to 16. Different multivariate analyses will focus on 1) comparing super-movers, who move more than three times in childhood, with less frequent movers; 2) comparing long-distance versus short-distance and non-movers; and 3) neighbourhood change for those who move at least once, studying the effects of socio-economic status and migrant status. We will also examine whether moves are accompanied by a school change, as those involve the disruption of children’s social networks.

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 Presented in Session 3. Spatial mobility over the life course