“This is Not Where I Belong!” The Emotional, Ongoing, and Collective Aspects of Couples’ Decision Making About Where to Live

Abstract

Decision making about where to live is becoming a salient part of many couple’s lives, with geographical mobility on the rise and increasing numbers of dual career couples. This article examines how couples decide where to live, using data from thirty-seven semi-structured interviews with individuals hi cross-national relationships, living in a city in the Western United States. The data reveal that emotions are important in decision making, that decision making tends to be on-going, and that there are numerous parties to the decision making process.