One of those stories : Social control, migration, and gossip: Young women in small rural communities in Iceland

Abstract

This PhD thesis focuses on young women in small rural communities in Iceland and different social factors that influence their residence and residential satisfaction in these locations. Special emphasis is placed on the social control of gossip and the effects it has on women. The research is based on quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data was obtained by surveys conducted in Iceland in 2019-2020 in the project Residential Stability and Migration. The results show that the social control of gossip affects the migration intentions of both men and women. Those who perceive much gossip about their love life are twice as likely to have migration intentions than people who do not experience much gossip about their love- life. Of those who have already migrated to the Capital Region from rural areas, women who mention gossip as a reason for prior migration are statistically less likely to return than other migrants. Qualitative data comes from interviews conducted with women in small coastal communities in Iceland in 2019-2021. The interviews focused on gossip, and how the women perceive gossip in their community. The results show that there is gendered social control and slut-shaming in these small communities, where women’s freedom to enjoy privacy is restricted without being the subject of gossip. The women show avoidance behaviour whereby the fear of gossip and shaming affects their actions and behaviour. Single women especially experience strong social control when it comes to sexual activities and love life.

This PhD thesis focuses on young women in small rural communities in Iceland and different social factors that influence their residence and residential satisfaction in these locations. Special emphasis is placed on the social control of gossip and the effects it has on women. The research is based on quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data was obtained by surveys conducted in Iceland in 2019-2020 in the project Residential Stability and Migration. The results show that the social control of gossip affects the migration intentions of both men and women. Those who perceive much gossip about their love life are twice as likely to have migration intentions than people who do not experience much gossip about their love- life. Of those who have already migrated to the Capital Region from rural areas, women who mention gossip as a reason for prior migration are statistically less likely to return than other migrants. Qualitative data comes from interviews conducted with women in small coastal communities in Iceland in 2019-2021. The interviews focused on gossip, and how the women perceive gossip in their community. The results show that there is gendered social control and slut-shaming in these small communities, where women’s freedom to enjoy privacy is restricted without being the subject of gossip. The women show avoidance behaviour whereby the fear of gossip and shaming affects their actions and behaviour. Single women especially experience strong social control when it comes to sexual activities and love life.