Movement matters: uncovering life-course similarities and differences in residential environment perspectives

SÝKORA HORŇÁKOVÁ, M., SÝKORA, J., FRYDRYCH, P. (2024).: Movement matters: uncovering life-course similarities and differences in residential environment perspectives. Mobilities, 1–19.

Neighbourhoods play a crucial role in residents’ everyday lives. Peoplebecome attached to neighbourhood attributes throughout their livesand various activities performed within residential environments.Everyday time-space mobility routines actively impact how residentsconnect with their neighbourhoods. This paper aims to analyse resi-dents’ links with their residential surroundings arising from their every-day spatial behaviours. It examines the topic in two dynamicallytransforming neighbourhood types in the Prague Metropolitan Area andfrom the perspectives of two population groups: older children fromthe suburbs and older adults from the gentrifying inner city. The studyadopted qualitative data analysis using semi-structured interviews. Bothgroups fulfil neighbourhood attachments through various obligatoryand optional movement types as well as accompanying social ties thatconstitute an important part of such moves. The neighbourhood linksachieved through movement are shaped by complex mechanisms thatoccur at various spatial and temporal scales adding to the variety offunctional and affective meanings of everyday mobility practices. Theyemerge along life-course shifts of individuals, changes in the neighbour-hoods and activities happening within these spatial contexts. Residentsthen use numerous adaptive strategies to adjust their movements (andin turn their links with the neighbourhoods) to the combined effects ofthose conditions.