Residential preferences in the context of voluntary simple lifestyles: What motivates contemporary Czech simplifiers to reside in the countryside?

Abstract

The aim of our paper is to broaden the international discussion on environmentally friendly lifestyles. In most of the previous research, via a survey technique involving the self-nomination of participants, voluntary simplifiers are presented as part of a social movement typically connected with an urban environment. Our paper follows the third wave of longitudinal research conducted in the post-socialist Czech Republic in the years 1992, 2002 and 2015. The data were collected using in-depth interviews combined with observations in 20 voluntary modest households. The biographical style of interview enables us to interpret the sources of the participants’ motivation for relocating to the countryside or staying in the urban environment as they interpret it retrospectively. Four dominant narratives emerged: 1) narrative of distaste for city life, 2) narrative of a nice life, 3) narrative about living in freedom, 4) narrative of a return to roots.

The countryside in the city? Rural-urban dynamics in allotment gardens in Brno, Czech Republic

“…The non-urban character of the allotments was further related to what we could term the simplicity or informality of the allotment lifestyle -the absence of modern technologies, the irrelevance of dress codes, and so forth. This appreciation of a "simple life" echoes the narratives of voluntary simplicity, which can also be linked to migration to the countryside (Kala et al, 2016).…”

The lawn grew too quickly! Perception of rural idyll by Czech amenity migrants

“…Rural expectations arise from the relative comparison of urban and rural (un)experience and push and pull factors of both milieus. To summarise it, the most frequently mentioned attractive characteristics of rural space include close contact with nature, peace, silence, enough free space and the possibility of breeding animals (similarly as Bernard 2006, Kala et al 2016, Bartoš et al 2009. Migrants also consider the rural as a safer place for bringing up children, which also mention Šustrová & Šimon (2012).…”

“…On the other hand, the expected rural benefits that attract individuals (open landscape, natural environment, peace) summarize pull factors (Halliday & Coombes 1995). The role of attractive rural aspects (contact with nature, peace, freedom) and repulsive city attributes (lack of nature, rush, stress, poor environment) in the decision-making process of Czech counterurbanizers is also mentioned by Bernard (2006), Šustrová & Šimon (2012) and Kala et al (2016). After all, the complex perception of rurality is largely based on urban and rural comparisons (Lošťák & Hudečková 2003).…”

Voluntary simplicity: A literature review and research agenda

“…Our analysis of the VS conceptual domain suggests that VS is as an umbrella term (Iwata, 2006;Kala et al, 2016;Walther & Sandlin, 2013), as it covers numerous motivations and practices.…”