TY - JOUR
T1 - Reflections on the Emigration Aspirations of Young, Educated People in Small Balkan Countries
T2 - A Qualitative Analysis of Reasons to Leave or Stay in North Macedonia
AU - Parker, Kimberly A.
AU - Hester, Erin B.
AU - Geegan, Sarah A.
AU - Ciunova-Shuleska, Anita
AU - Palamidovska-Sterjadovska, Nikolina
AU - Ivanov, Bobi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - For small, low-to-middle-income countries such as North Macedonia, the prospect of young, educated people leaving their place of residence (i.e. emigrating) can have significant negative societal-level effects. Understanding the complexity of the brain-drain phenomenon and its antecedents is critical to developing multi-level (i.e. global, societal and individual) strategic solutions. A qualitative analysis of several focus-group interviews was used to understand young, educated residents’ reasons either for emigrating or for remaining in North Macedonia. Two overarching themes served to organise the participant-identified drivers for emigration and those opposed to it. Three sub-themes emerged describing the factors for emigration: 1) a lack of professional opportunities, 2) institutional systems, and 3) cultural tightness. Likewise, three sub-themes emerged describing the factors for staying: 1) community, 2) culture and 3) social responsibility. Insights serve to contextualise some of the experiences of young, educated people in small, low-to-middle-income, countries which impact on their emigration decisions.
AB - For small, low-to-middle-income countries such as North Macedonia, the prospect of young, educated people leaving their place of residence (i.e. emigrating) can have significant negative societal-level effects. Understanding the complexity of the brain-drain phenomenon and its antecedents is critical to developing multi-level (i.e. global, societal and individual) strategic solutions. A qualitative analysis of several focus-group interviews was used to understand young, educated residents’ reasons either for emigrating or for remaining in North Macedonia. Two overarching themes served to organise the participant-identified drivers for emigration and those opposed to it. Three sub-themes emerged describing the factors for emigration: 1) a lack of professional opportunities, 2) institutional systems, and 3) cultural tightness. Likewise, three sub-themes emerged describing the factors for staying: 1) community, 2) culture and 3) social responsibility. Insights serve to contextualise some of the experiences of young, educated people in small, low-to-middle-income, countries which impact on their emigration decisions.
KW - Balkans
KW - North Macedonia
KW - brain drain
KW - emigration-decision conflict
KW - migration aspirations
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U2 - 10.54667/ceemr.2022.07
DO - 10.54667/ceemr.2022.07
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85137716744
SN - 2300-1682
VL - 11
SP - 65
EP - 84
JO - Central and Eastern European Migration Review
JF - Central and Eastern European Migration Review
IS - 1
ER -