Quality of Life and Migration — Concepts and Results of the Socio-economic Survey in Tauá and Picos

The semiarid northeast of Brazil is one of the most problematic regions in the world. Social structures were established in the last century under difficult natural and climatic conditions. These social structures are not very apt to deal with social and ecological crises in this region. Coping mechanisms that were developed for such natural and social problematic living conditions are highly questionable as individual and social solution concepts. This is especially the case for migration activities that can no longer be classed traditional compensatory migration or seasonal labor migration.