The Procces and Pattern of Return Migration and Factors Affecting it ) Case Study: Hajilou Dehestan- Kabodarahang County)

Document Type : علمی

Authors

• Mojtaba Alibabaiee
• Mahmoud Jom’epour

Allameh Tabataba'i University

10.22067/jrrp.v5i4.52717

Abstract

Extended abstract
1. INTRODUCTION
Immigration plays an important role in reducing poverty and vulnerability in low- income families. People for various reasons, specifically, economic, social, cultural, environmental, and natural disasters leave their native land. So far in our country, people often have migrated from rural areas to cities. In recent years, however, we are witnessing the reverse. People have been migrating from urban areas to the countryside. And, it seems the issue has taken on a higher growth and intensity rate.
According to the results of the General Census of Population and Housing in 2011, the number of immigrants from urban to rural areas has increased by 6%. In fact, a part of the flow of migration is return migration, the migration back to the origin of immigrants.
Due to the attention paid to the relationship between migration and development by the international organizations, there is a need to review different approaches to return migration. Many governments in different countries have gradually come to the fundamental fact that the urban crisis is the crisis of rural producers. Statistics show that in many developing countries the weight and importance of rural areas is much more than the amount of attention paid to them. As the rapid growth of urbanization is a growing concern in developing countries, rural development also assumes great importance in such countries (Jomehpoor, 2013). The present study, therefore, investigates the process of return migration and factors affecting the decision to return.
2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Migration in its various forms, whether individually or as a group, have long been associated with human communities. Migration from one’s native land with social, cultural, ethnic, political, religious, and climatic motivations is aimed at achieving better standards of past and present life.
The theoretical framework of the present study is based on the combination of two groups of macroeconomic theories and new economics of migration. Not only different market conditions but also labor market ones are addressed by new economics of migration. The theory considers migration as a family decision to minimize the risks against income or to overcome the limitations of capital in the way of productive activities of families (Douglas & Massey, 1993).
Economists generally use unequal regional development patterns and cost-benefit analysis to explain migration. The flow of migration is usually affected by several factors ranging from personal characteristics, relatives, job promotion, public social services, facilities for welfare, education, health, sports, transportation, natural, political, ethnic, religious factors, marriage, environmental conditions, security, banking facilities, cultural services, and housing in the origin and destination of migration.
3. METHODOLOGY
In a form of field and survey study, the issue was investigated in a rural area experiencing return migration. Four factors including rural development, living condition in cities, annual income, and ethnic bonds were considered as the most probable factors affecting the decision to return. In a correlational analysis, the relationship between the above-mentioned variables and return migration was investigated. The sample of this study was Hajilou, located in the central part of Kaboudrahang, where the region is experiencing the process of return migration. All nine villages in Hajilou were selected for the purpose of this study and questionnaires were used as research instruments. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. Frequency tables including frequency, percentage and cumulative frequency for each of the items in the questionnaire were prepared. In addition, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire.
4. DISCUSSION
Based on the selected criteria in the present study, the most developed village Khanabad was the best developed village and Saribolaq was the least developed one. Most villages are classified in the middle rank of development. And two villages called Khanabad and Parvarq are classified in the high rank of development.
Descriptive statistics in the present study show that participants of the study consider welfare, education, and health care as motivations to return to their native land.
The frequency tables also show that the participants do not have a sense of belonging to the cities. They believe one has to return to the village to live comfortably; they also consider the pressure of city life, air pollution, high cost of living, unemployment, expensive housing and loneliness as motivations to return migration. The descriptive statistics used in the study also show that the participants of the study are happy with their life in villages; they have their own fields to work on; and they are happy with their income. Furthermore, the participants believe that their family members, their relatives and the people in the village are happy with their return migration to villages.
5. CONCLUSION
In this study, it was found that there is a direct relationship between the level of development in the rural areas and the changes in migration patterns. In other words, the better the level of development in villages, the more people will return from the cities to rural areas and fewer people will migrate from villages to urban areas. With this in mind, we can claim that the concept of rural development is an economic, social, and multidimensional issue. It can also be concluded that the development of social infrastructure such as health facilities, education and security that cause human resource development in the village will be one of the main tasks of governments. The second finding of this study indicates that urban conditions have a direct influence on the process of return migration. Furthermore, there is direct relationship between the amount of family income and return migration. This can suggest another fact related to the rural development: creating jobs for rural residents and increasing their annual income. In other words, the more jobs in rural areas and increase rural incomes, the less rural people move to cities and the process of return migration from urban to rural areas will also increase.
The last finding of the research revealed the existence of a direct relationship between ethnic bonds and return migration. Unfavorable conditions in urban areas and the rejection of villagers by the urban population could cement their ethnic and indigenous bonds and, in return, lead in their desire to return. This sense of belonging to their native land and their ethnic groups can be used to make each and every villager involved in the process of development in rural areas. This could be a very good lesson for the governments.

Keywords

• return migration
• development
• living condition in cities
• annual income
• affiliation of ethnic and indigenous

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