The shuttle migration with regard to social potential of rural settlements (case study)

This article concerns shuttle migration activities of rural inhabitants and at the same time asks how this phenomenon influences social potential of rural settlements. The authors draw on the social ecology. Among its basic topics belongs spatial behavior. The authors ask about the impacts of the extent of shuttle migration and of how rural inhabitants perceive it (the object of the survey are 5 municipalities in the Central Bohemia Region) on social potential of the municipality. This potential is indicated by a cooperation of the migrants and non-migrants in the local government, especially with regards to development strategies involving transport infrastructure and public-transport services. The used method is a sociological empirical research that combines quantitative and qualitative approach and uses the appropriate techniques, such as a document study, observation, questionnaires and time-and-space mapping. Analysis of the collected data leads firstly to identification of positives and negatives of the shuttle-migration activities for the rural settlements, and secondly results in outlining empirical research of the shuttle migration in a wider spectrum of rural municipalities in regard to endogenous approach to local development.