Residential Mobility as a Social Issue and Research Topic

Traditionally, the high rate of mobility in America has been linked to such negative consequences as disintegrating communities and alienation among the populace. Recent perspectives on mobility present a more complex image of the factors underlying a population “on the move” and a more benign view of the effects of mobility. In this article we provide a backdrop for these more recent perspectives by presenting an historical overview of American mobility which includes: the image of the mobile American throughout history; the stability of high mobility rates; the changing patterns of mobility and the implications of these changes; and, a demographic profile of who moves in America. In addition, we review past theories of why people move and the limited research on the consequences of mobility, especially in terms of community pathology. This historical review “sets the stage” for the current approaches to mobility that are presented within this issue of JSI.