Comparing Migration Patterns and Consequences across Cohorts

Yan Guo, Utah State University
Sandra T. Marquart-Pyatt, Utah State University
Eddy H. Berry, Utah State University

Previous research demonstrates that migration patterns differ across groups. Migration can also be shaped by broader processes of social change such as political and economic shifts, which take place at various levels of interaction, including local, national, and, in some instances, global scales. This research compares migration patterns across two cohorts using NLSY data (NLSY79 and NLSY97) in order to compare patterns of migration across these two cohorts and examine how they differ on various dimensions, including individual characteristics, migration types, and with regard to key life transitions such as entry into the labor market. Of key interest is the extent to which community level attributes and/or broader social forces influence patterns of migration in conjunction with various individual-level processes noted to be influential in previous research. Preliminary results show some group-based differences, though further exploration is required. Later analyses will integrate community characteristics as another potential source of variation.