In the youth mobility research, young people's geographical immobility is often associated with negative connotations. This paper challenges this discourse by analysing the location-specific insider advantages (LSIAs) of geographically immobile young adults in higher education institutions (HEI). We use data from a survey of students in two locations in Denmark: the peripheral city of Esbjerg and the metropolis of Copenhagen. We categorise students with diverse geographical mobility backgrounds into four (im)mobility types: 'local stayers', 'regional commuters', 'regional in-movers', and 'distant in-movers'. The paper explores LSIAs across (im)mobility type and location type. We find that immobile students are more likely to have a connection to, and experience with, the local labour market, to be satisfied with their social life, and to live with their parents compared with their geographically mobile peers. However, the advantages differ in type and amount between the peripheral and the urban case locations. We conclude that immobility should be (re)framed as an advantageous strategy for some young adults in early higher education.

Introduction 1.1 Background and motivation for this research 1.2 Research questions and research aims 1.3 Definition of concepts 1.4 Structure and design of thesis References Contents Chapter 2 Framing educational (im)mobility, identity and relation to place for young adults from peripheral regions 2.1 Identity and transition to adulthood 2.2 Place and mobility 2.3 Regional development and young adults 2.4 Conclusion References Chapter 3 Methods and research context 3.1 Methodological considerations 3.2 The context of higher education References Chapter 4 Staying for the benefits: Location-specific insider advantages for geographically immobile students in higher education Abstract 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Method 4.3 Findings 4.4 Conclusion References Chapter 5 Moving to the 'Wild West' -Clarifying the First-hand Experiences and Second-hand Perceptions of a Danish University Town on the Periphery Abstract 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Youth migration preferences, representation and cultural narratives of space 126 5.3 Contextualisation 5.4 Methodological considerations 5.5 The narrative of Esbjerg among young students 5.6 Discussion 5.7 Transformation of Esbjerg over different forms of place 5.8 Conclusion References Chapter 6Symbolic mobility capital to fight the social stigma of staying: How young adults re-imagine narratives of 'leaving' during higher education.

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A country's internal migration is often explained using a life-course perspective. When a new academic year begins, study cities hope to attract a good portion of new students. In Denmark, the major trend is that young people leave the western part of the country to study in larger cities in the eastern part. This paper examines a much less extensive reverse flow of students who move to Esbjerg in western Denmark to study. Using interviews with 30 students, this paper analyses how this counter-movement is experienced by young students themselves and perceived by their friends.Based on the literature on the transformation of places and regional representation and attractiveness, this study shows the concurrent presence of opposing trends. On the one hand, the interviewees describe Esbjerg as a great town with friendly people, good study opportunities, etc.; i.e., they experience the city positively. On the other hand, their friends disagree and criticise Esbjerg without having much substantive knowledge on which to base their negative perceptions. These findings are discussed in relation to value attached to places, views on the size of towns connected to life modes among students, and opportunities for places to transform their identity.