Turkish Rural Lifestyle Migrants to Muğla: A Qualitative Analysis of Video Narratives

Abstract

This article focuses on migration from big cities to the countryside in Turkey, in the case of Muğla province with a lifestyle migration lens, based on content analysis of the stories of migrants posted on the YouTube platform that provides a basis to increase digital migration research. Research results showed that a group of people who were mainly earlier in their life cycle and worked in the private sector in the big cities quitted their jobs to start a new life in the countryside. Most of them escape from the disliked characteristics of big cities, negative emotions caused by urban life and intense work pressure. They are in search of natural and production-centred life in rural areas of the Turkish Aegean. The results indicated that Covid-19 also emerged as a recent motivator. Contrary to the city, favourable features of the countryside, especially the possibility of living in a detached house with a garden, strengthened the positive image of the rural areas. They are seen as safer and more comfortable locations because in the case of a curfew, outdoor activities and a mask-free daily life would be possible due to the private gardens. Migration from big cities to rural areas seems to become a more popular trend with the pandemic.