Abstract

The communities of the Gaspe Peninsula are in the midst of social and economic restructuring. This has led to the establishment of a culture of migration, most notably within the youth population of the region. This trend stems from a combination of factors such as a lack of jobs and services in the Gaspe, social demands for professional training and higher education, parental expectations for their children, community norms, migration networks, rural stigmas, the influence of media and popular culture and the allure of the city. These trends have resulted in a population imbalance, a loss of human capital and lagging socioeconomic conditions in the region. This thesis is the result of a case study of Anglophone Gaspesian youths and the social construction of rural to urban migration. It explores how youths construct their view of 'the rural' and 'the urban' and how they use these views to form migration decisions. It discusses the to influence of deep-rooted migration networks as links and facilitators in rural to urban migration streams. Finally, it demonstrates how youths are active interpreters, critics and agents, and how their experience, knowledge, and opinions can offer valuable insights into discussions of rural development.