Young women in a male periphery : experiences from the Scandinavian north

• This paper deals with the migration of young women from rural areas in northern Scandinavia. The way from adolescence to adulthood is discussed and the notionof a male periphery is presented. An attempt is made to shift focus in studies ofrural youth migration. The emphasis here is on the socially constructed space thatthe young women leave. Is one reason behind the rural migration pattern to be foundin the male periphery? The periphery is dominated by male economic and leisureactivities. Women in the rural areas are less visible, and their activities arenot as valued as the male activities. Young men tend to follow in the footstepof their fathers, while young rural women break with the mothers on their lifepaths. There are few modern role models for the daughters in the periphery. Astudy of young women and men in Troms county in northern Norway is used toillustrate the women's paths from adolescence to adult life. Young women inrural Troms do, to a much larger extent than the young rural men, take highereducation. They have ambitions of highly qualified jobs, either in towns or intheir home localities. The young rural women break new ground by continuing inhigher education. The young men run the risk of being left behind as losers.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Social och ekonomisk geografi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Social and Economic Geography (hsv//eng)

Keyword

mirgration

young women

male periphery

northern Scandinavia

Human Geography

Kulturgeografi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)