REGIONAL PATTERNS OF BELONGING AMONG YOUNG LATVIAN RETURNEES

This paper investigates return migration to Latvia and explores the profiles of young return migrants to core and peripheral parts of the country. Traditionally, return migrants are viewed as potential human capital that can be reinvested in the country of origin. At individual level, the attraction to the region or city of origin has an important emotional aspect and a sense of belonging to a certain place. Despite the level of satisfaction, self-valued gains from international experience and difficulties the individual needs to overcome upon return, the feeling of belonging and longing for home often overcomes the economic aspects of return. This is particularly important when describing a group of young adults and geographically looking at different marginal and core places. As an analytic framework, return migration concepts explain several aspects that wreathe individual return migration decision. Returnees' profiles of core and peripheral parts of the country describe individual's longing for home with a background of migration experience. Authors draw on empirical materials from Horizon2020 YMOBILITY project and reflect on data from survey and interviews with Latvians who have returned from the main destination countries and currently reside in core or peripheral parts of the country. Research indicates that returnees to peripheral parts are mostly married men with children, holding secondary vocational education and who are skilled manual workers. Returnees to the core part are mostly single women with up to tertiary education level and employment in clerical or administrative fields. Pieriga exceptionally attracts those who are homesick, while Zemgale and Kurzeme attract those who wish to live and work, because they feel attached to these places and desire to reside there.