The process of socio-economic constraint on geographical mobility:

This paper suggests that the process of socio-economic constraint should be of central concern in studies of geographical mobility. A theoretical framework is advanced which situates this process within a life course perspective, recognising both the fluid, dynamic nature of local place and the role that social structures play in the creation of individual and spatial inequalities. Within this framework socio-economic constraint can be considered as the process that links these individual and spatial inequalities together. This paper aims to examine the process of spatial socio-economic constraint and to test the hypotheses that individuals with low income are more likely to be geographically constrained and are more likely to be constrained to areas of higher material deprivation. The analysis employs multilevel models and uses longitudinal data from the British Household Panel Survey, combined with aggregate ward level Census data. The findings provide evidence in support of the hypotheses and for the existence of a process of socio-economic constraint. The main conclusion is that an understanding of the process of constraint should be central to theoretical and empirical studies of geographic mobility.