Rural Out-migration: Community consequences and Individual Migrant Experiences

Out-migration continues from many rural communities. The contemporary consequences for individual communities in Scotland are explored in this paper along with the personal experiences of migrants. The findings provide insights into the future of rural communities during an era when endogenous development strategies are in vogue. The analysis highlights the demographic and socio-economic consequences for the donor community and the personal development of individual migrants. While initially experiencing difficulties ( for example, financial) the migrant often possesses and acquires the very human resource capital needed to participate in 'bottom-up' community development. However the absence of policies facilitating a return to the home area means that this indigenous potential is too often lost forever. Endogenous development strategies accompanied by exogenous strategies permitting a greater share of migrants to return are therefore advocated.