The Rural Idyll and its Realities: Temporal Imaginaries and Material Constraints in Norwegian Rural and Urban Trajectories

This thesis investigates migration decisions between Norwegian rural villages and cities by examining different conceptualisations of the rural by individuals with diverse rural-urban experiences. How do imaginaries of rural idyll and material realities shape migration decisions between Norwegian rural villages and cities? To answer this question, 11 semi-structured interviews have been conducted with individuals who have lived in rural Norwegian villages, most of whom now reside in cities. The theory of exurban timespace allows for an investigation of how temporal perceptions intersect with physical places as well as socially constructed imaginaries of rural idyll. Within the mobility paradigm and the politics of mobility, the material constraints of living in the rural Norwegian countryside are analysed as experienced friction of mobility. The findings indicate that people with rural-origin have a more nuanced view of rural idyll. Material constraints such as accessibility of services, geographical distance and transport needs influence the potential desire of returning to rural villages to a greater extent than temporal perceptions, indicating that the idea of rural idyll might be a predominantly urban idealisation. This thesis contributes to Mobility Studies by providing a Norwegian perspective of mobility decisions between the rural and urban spaces, especially considering temporal imaginaries connected to the Norwegian villages, or ‘Bygda’.