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Strategic Lifestyle Management in Later Life: Swedish Lifestyle Movers in Malta Seeking the ‘Best of Both Worlds’
Author(s) -
Åkerlund Ulrika
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
population, space and place
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.398
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1544-8452
pISSN - 1544-8444
DOI - 10.1002/psp.1964
Subject(s) - thematic analysis , order (exchange) , resource (disambiguation) , the good life , space (punctuation) , business , marketing , sociology , public relations , qualitative research , psychology , political science , computer science , social science , computer network , finance , psychotherapist , operating system
In affluent societies, an active choice of lifestyle is increasingly becoming an option. With increased possibilities for mobility, opportunities to lead a good life can be accessed across global space. However, lifestyle management is largely directed and constrained by structural frameworks, and movers have to allocate resources and experience in order to manoeuvre structures and make optimal lifestyle choices. This paper explores how residential mobility may be used as a resource to gain access to opportunities. Based on thematic analysis of in‐depth interviews, this is performed by exploring the experiences of Swedish lifestyle movers in Malta, in their tailoring of mobility practices that allow them to enjoy opportunities for the good life in both countries. The research questions that have guided this study are as follows: (a) What does the good life comprise? (b) How are structural frameworks surrounding opportunities for lifestyle management perceived by movers? and (c) In what ways do movers actively tailor their mobility practices to achieve the good life? The results show that movers are highly engaged in tailoring their access to opportunities through place fixity, such as permanent residency and social integration, and through routinised and timed mobility practices. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.