Forced to relocate : A quantitative study of the risks and housing outcomes of involuntary relocations in Germany from a longitudinal perspective

Research on residential displacement shows that involuntary relocation is different from voluntary residential mobility and has significant consequences for the individual. The aim of this thesis is to generate an understanding of the risk of involuntary relocation and its relevance to the housing trajectory for tenants in Germany. The thesis examines what influences the risk of an involuntary move and which factors influence the housing situation after an involuntary move. An event history analysis is used to examine the risk and the trajectory longitudinally. For this purpose, data from the Socio-Economic Panel for Germany (1984-2022) are used. A life course perspective is used in this thesis. This thesis shows that a higher risk for individuals to relocate involuntarily is associated with disruptive economic life events, low socioeconomic resources, characteristics which can cause discrimination, and frequent moves. The chances of a subsequent upward move tend to be lower for first-generation migrants and older people and are closely linked to other residential and life trajectories.