migration in alaska epscor all hands meeting may 14, 2009 anchorage stephanie martin institute of...
TRANSCRIPT
Migration in Alaska
EPSCoR All Hands meeting
May 14, 2009
Anchorage
Stephanie Martin
Institute of Social and Economic Research
University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, AK USA
Acknowledgements
• National Science Foundation– Social Transitions in the North– Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic– Boreas– Migration in the Arctic– EPSCoR
• North Slope borough• National Park Service, Alaska Department of Fish and
Game
• US Census Bureau
Connections
• Macro effects of micro-decisions– Community effects of out-migration
• Micro effects of macro forces– Climate change– Global economy
• So far integrated over projects and communities – Who moves and why– Are migrants better off– Return migrants
• Goal to extend projects by integrating over disciplines and extending geographic and cultural scope– Out-migration– Return
Integration
930935
1615
10101149
777
1985-90
1995-00
Iñupiat migration in Alaska
Surveys
• Not designed to be migration surveys• Most ask where did you live 5 years ago or 1
year ago • Where were you born
• Return migrants - moved back to the community where they grew up.
• In-migrants – moved to a community other than where they grew up.
• Stayers – never left.
Migrant groups in the surveys
• More women move out• More men move back• Young adults• Some places, women with children
Who moves
Why people move
• More women than men considered leaving– Pull. Women cite own or children’s education,
family as reasons.• More men want to stay.
– Negative push factors. Hunting and fishing one of the main reported reasons.
What else?
• Return migration is important because of its implications for community level well being.
• Important for individual well-being because it is related to family ties and social support. Both essential for well-being.
Return Migration
• In Northern Alaskan communities, about 1/3 are return
• Return migration varies by community– Some communities are relatively new and
weren’t around when respondents were young.
– Some communities people leave and don’t return.
Return Migration
• Return migration varies by gender.– Mirroring the census data showing that more
women leave and more men return– Of men living in Arctic communities, 41% are
return migrants. – Compared with 34% of women
Why people leave
• Education– 52% of male return migrants reported leaving
for education– 42% of women return migrants
• Jobs– Equal percentages of men and women return
migrants (about 21% reported leaving for jobs)
Why people return
• Overwhelmingly, people return to be with family– A larger share of men (68%) than women
(58%)• A slightly larger share of women (13%) than men
reported returning for jobs• About 7% of both men and women reported
returning for subsistence.
Characteristics of return migrants
• Educated• Employed • Subsistence participation
– Less in whaling, walrus – Same in other activities
• Social support• Family ties
Moving forward
• Macro effects of micro-decisions
- Out-migration and its effects on communities• Effects of macro forces on micro-decisions
– Effects of climate change on communities• Leaky system.
Practical Importance
• Denali Commission and other federal agencies• State funding for schools, local government• State sport hunting/subsistence trade-offs• Urban areas – providing services• Understanding migration in other places
Different community profiles
• More very small communities (37 places)• Declining populations• Schools closing• High subsistence harvest but fewer species
– Moose, salmon, caribou
Well-being
Subsistence
Jobs Income
Social & family ties
Migration
Global social change
Physical change
River levels
Fire
Community Viability
Fuel prices
Biological change
Changes in wildlife
Households/Communities
Opportunities elsewhere
Infrastructure damage
Regional/local effects
Summary
• Until now: Integrated research in one field over time
• Going forward: Integrate research across disciplines
• Moved from micro effects on macro decisions to macro effects on micro
• Migration is a good example of leakage from system.
Research questions
• What are the points of contact between global forces and communities/households?
• What are thresholds for change?• Link these changes to resilience? • Resilience of what? Boundaries of system.
Leakage. • Community location?• What happens if communities vanish? Decay.