More Regionally Mobile and Less Civically Engaged? An Analysis Based on German Panel Data

Heiko Rüger , Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB)
Nico Stawarz
Thomas Skora, GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences
Lena Greinke, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University

Forms of regional mobility such as long-distance commuting and multi-local living, i.e. second residences, have increased in Germany and other countries. These forms of commuting between regions are seen as alternatives to internal migration. On the one hand, regional mobility is relevant for the functioning of labour markets and is positively related to individual wealth. On the other hand, increased spatial mobilisation could lead to uprooting and isolation, as individuals become detached from place-based social relations. This contribution examines the effect of regional mobility on civic engagement, using the example of long daily commutes. Civic engagement is an important dimension of social cohesion and hence social sustainability. Based on theoretical considerations from the Civic Voluntarism Model, the Commuter’s Strain Hypothesis and the Place Identity Approach, we expect a negative association between commuting distance and the extent of volunteer work. We apply fixed effects (FE) panel regression to longitudinal data for 1997-2019 from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) (N=102,171 observations, 23,517 individuals). First results showed that medium-distance commuting (25-49 km) and especially long-distances commuting (=50 km) were associated with a reduction in volunteering compared to short distances. The negative effects of both medium and long-distance commuting tended to be stronger in more sparsely populated regions. This is particularly relevant as it is in rural regions that key public services are often provided by volunteers. Overall, the findings suggest that while regional mobility is important for economic sustainability, it could have a negative impact on social sustainability by reducing civic engagement.

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 Presented in Session P3. Migration, Economics, Policies, History