Work and High Mobility in Europe

The high work-related mobilities concern a significant proportion of the active population and condition novel lifestyles. This chapter describes the practices and discourses of the people concerned by these high mobilities, challenge a number of preconceptions and fantasies, and paint a protean picture that highlights the largely unknown financial, social, human and environmental costs. It also describes the populations involved, in socioeconomic, demographic and geographic terms. The chapter discusses several forms of large-scale mobility and focuses on forms that are related to employment. These are intensive daily commuting, weekly commuting, fluctuating commuting, and finally frequent travel for work. High mobility is perceived very differently by highly mobile people across Europe. The chapter examines the consequences that high mobility practices may have on sociability, health or the balance of life as a couple.