A Lonely Generation? Exploring the Geographies of Loneliness of Millennials in County Durham

Abstract

This thesis explores the geographies of loneliness by drawing on experiences of millennial loneliness in County Durham. It takes a criƟcal generaƟonal approach and explores how the spaƟal-temporal context that millennials have grown up and live within has shaped their everyday life, relaƟonships, and emoƟons. Living and working following the 2008 economic recession and during a period of austerity has meant that millennials are confronted with high rates of unemployment, stagnated wages, difficulty in accessing the housing market, and reduced access to services. Based in County Durham, this research also explores how the area’s social geography and structural inequaliƟes have led to these issues being exacerbated for the County’s millennials. Loneliness is understood here as a socio-spaƟal relaƟonship to the self, others, and the state. Using this definiƟon, this thesis takes a mulƟ-scalar approach to unpick the everyday experience of loneliness. Approaching loneliness from the state level and the role of governmental decisions on everyday life and loneliness, through to the inƟmate, embodied level, this thesis gives a mulƟ-faceted, subjecƟve, spaƟal, and poliƟcised account of loneliness. Situated within a feminist, phenomenological and relaƟonal theoreƟcal framework, this project values the inƟmate, lived experience of individuals, and explores how idenƟƟes, spaces, and experiences are formed through interacƟons with others. Data was collected using 1.) life story interviews 2.) personal community maps 3.) relaƟonship diaries and 4.) an (auto)ethnography of County Durham. The key finding threaded throughout this thesis is that loneliness disrupts, unseƩles, and troubles a sense of security in individuals. This is explored here in terms of disrupted biographies and a (dis)connecƟon to place, community, and personal relaƟonships. Importantly, structural inequaliƟes and vulnerabiliƟes make the experience of loneliness more difficult to navigate and overcome. Geography maƩers to loneliness. This project is thus a Ɵmely addiƟon to the gap in geographic literature