ABSTRACT
For many people, mobility and interest in the past are opposites-mobile people are seen as living in the present or occupied with future plans and the past is treated as a burden that prevents adaptation to new environments. However, as it will be argued here, not only are the two not contradictory but they can reinforce each other because memory may serve as a facilitator of attachment to new places. This chapter is organized into three sections. In the first section, the issue of place attachment and its relation to mobility is discussed. In the second section, the argument is developed that interest in the past fosters a sense of personal and place continuity and may facilitate attachment to new places among mobile individuals. The third section presents empirical data that suggest that: (1) place attachment is not a uniform concept, and (2) depending on the type of place attachment (traditional vs. active), different forms of memory may contribute to people’s emotional bonds with places.
