The Experiences of Female University Graduates Returning to Rural Areas to Live in Their Family Home

Abstract

The article examines the return of young women with higher education to their familial homes in rural areas in
Poland. The present study seeks to analyse the motives for these returns, changes in family relationships and new
social roles taken up by returning graduates in their family environment. The present study adopted a qualitative
research approach, utilising semi-structured in-depth interviews with a sample of ten female graduates from Poznań universities. These are graduates who earned master’s degrees and then returned to their familial homes in rural areas. The analysis revealed that the decisions to return were complex and could be categorised into three distinct types: choice, necessity and life strategy. The factors prompting their migration away from urban areas primarily encompass a sense of loneliness and exhaustion with the urban lifestyle, as well as the conviction that the local labour market in their home locality offers more convenient employment opportunities. Conversely, the respondents cited reasons such as the pursuit of tranquillity and connection with natural surroundings, along with the proximity of family and life partners, as motivating factors in their decision to repatriate to rural areas. Furthermore, the respondents frequently assumed novel roles within the familial environment, encompassing roles such as ‘educators’ and supporters of their parents. In certain instances, the return also helped to strengthen family bonds, although it was not uncommon for this to be accompanied by challenges pertaining to worldview. The limitations of the study include the absence of diverse experiences in terms of gender and the lack of the perspective of family members.