Fixed Identities in a Mobile World? The relationship between mobility, place, and identity

Starting from the premise that mobility is a fundamental social issue, thisarticle addresses the impact of mobility and place on identity. Three majorschools of thought addressing this issue are examined: the socio-historicalapproach of Giddens (1991) and Bauman (1997, 2001) that describes a shiftover the last century from place-based (prescribed) identities to mobile(achieved) identities; recent theories in sociology that see identity as mobile,dynamic, hybrid, and relational; and recent theories in geography that considerthe relationship between place and identity. With reference to my ownresearch into the migration experiences of a group of young adults in Australia,I argue that both mobility and place are essential components of identity constructionand discuss the complex inter-relationships between mobility, place,and identity