An ethno-linguistic dimension in transnational activity space measured with mobile phone data

Abstract

In addition to permanent migration, different forms of cross-border mobility were on the rise before the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from tourism to job-related commuting. In this paper ethno-linguistic differences in cross-border mobility using the activity space framework are considered. New segregation theories emphasise that segregation in one part of the activity space (e.g. in residential neighbourhood) affects the segregation in other parts of the activity space (e.g. in workplace), and that spatial mobility between activity locations is equally important in the production and reproduction of ethnic inequalities. Until now, segregation in activity spaces has been studied by focusing on daily activities inside one country. In reality, an increasing number of people pursue their activities across different countries, so that their activity spaces extend beyond state borders, which can have important implications for the functioning of ethno-linguistic communities and the transfer of inequalities from one country to another. This study takes advantage of mobility data based on mobile phone use, and the new avenues provided for the study of ethno-linguistic differences in temporary cross-border mobility. Such data allow the study of different cross-border visitor groups—tourists, commuters, transnationals, long-term stayers—by providing the means to measure the frequency of visits and time spent abroad, and to link together the travel of each person over several years. Results show that members of the ethno-linguistic minority population in Estonia make more trips than members of the ethno-linguistic majority, and they also have higher probability of being tourists and cross-border commuters than the majority population, paying frequent visits to their ancestral homelands. The connections between ethno-linguistic background and temporary cross-border mobility outlined in this study allows for future discussion on how (in)equalities can emerge in transnational activity space and what implications it has for segregation.