Abstract
The literature on migration has traditionally emphasized economic factors as the primary drivers of migration. However, recent research has started to explore the social dimensions of migration and mobility. While a growing body of evidence supports the role of sustained social relationships in sha** migration behavior, less attention has been given to the loss of social relationships. To isolate the relationship between the loss of social ties and mobility, this study examines the impact of an unexpected mortality shock, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, on subsequent migration behaviors. Using data from the Study of the Tsunami Aftermath and Recovery (STAR), this paper employs logistic regression to investigate how the loss of a close family member influences post-disaster mobility. Our research findings indicate that the death of a family member increases the probability of post-disaster residential instability, encompassing both short-term displacement and longer-term relocations. These outcomes emphasize that mobility is not solely propelled by sustained social connections. In the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the loss of social ties played a significant role in sha** displacement and migration.
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The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in http://stardata.org/data.html.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data analysis were performed by Emma Labovitz and Anna Gardner. Both authors contributed equally to this publication and authors’ names are listed alphabetically rather than as an indication of contribution.
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This research received general support from the Population Research Infrastructure Program (P2C HD050924) awarded to the Carolina Population Center at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The authors have no competing interests (financial or non-financial) to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.
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Gardner, A., Labovitz, E. Mortality and mobility: understanding the impact of family member death on post-disaster mobility. Popul Environ 46, 16 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11111-024-00459-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11111-024-00459-2