Regional perspective

Leader: Markus Jokela, Professor, University of Helsinki

This WP integrates the topics of the other WPs with a geographic perspective with (i) register data with detailed geospatial locations for monthly to yearly migration flows, and (ii) nation-wide mobile phone data allowing for fine-grained mobility patterns, over days and weeks. It contributes to the regional macro indicators regarding family network structures and long-term and short-term network structure.

It determines how people’s social networks, and the correlates of these networks, vary by geographical location in Finland. Most of people’s important social relationships depend on physical proximity and the opportunity to meet each other in person. By detailing the social network structures across regions, municipalities, and postal code areas, WP3 provides the basis for region-specific policy recommendations.

The following themes are addressed:

• Variation of structures of social networks by region.
• Density of social networks and regional fertility rates.
• Association of regional rates of in-migration and out-migration with social network structures and wellbeing of older people.
• Association of kin network density to demographic resilience.