Roots and Routes investigates young people’s career expectations in three Danish island and rural communities: Bornholm, Mors, and the South Funen Archipelago, where young people face particular mobility-related dilemmas linked to education. The project contributes to a growing field of research exploring the significance of place for young people’s career development, with particular attention to how long-term career expectations are formed in these contexts.

The project examines how family mobility experiences, the broader local context, and the availability of resources such as education, employment, and networks shape young people’s educational expectations. Career expectations among young people in rural areas are central to ongoing efforts to address geographical inequality. The project poses the overarching research question: “How are young people’s career expectations spatialised in Danish rural and island areas?”

The research project consists of two subprojects. The first focuses on the role of the family context, exploring mobility narratives through interviews with young people and their families. The second investigates how local career networks—such as business networks and guidance services—either mitigate or reinforce spatial and mobility-related dilemmas for young people and their families. This is examined through interviews with key local actors and analyses of local policies. In doing so, the project illuminates how interactions between family, community, business, and policy shape young people’s visions of their future and career. Theoretically, the project draws on Bourdieu as well as career and guidance research to highlight the significance of family and place in shaping young people's career expectations.