<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Parker, Kimberly A</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Hester, Erin B</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Geegan, Sarah A</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ciunova-Shuleska, Anita</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Palamidovska-Sterjadovska, Nikolina</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ivanov, Bobi</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Reflections on the Emigration Aspirations of Young, Educated People in Small Balkan Countries: A Qualitative Analysis of Reasons to Leave or Stay in North Macedonia</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Central and Eastern European Migration Review</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Balkans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">brain drain</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">emigration-decision conflict</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">migration aspirations</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">North Macedonia</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2022</style></year></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">11</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">65-84</style></pages><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p class=&quot;Abstrakt&quot; style=&quot;margin-right:-.05pt&quot;&gt;&lt;span lang=&quot;EN-US&quot;&gt;For small, low-to-middle-income countries such as North Macedonia, the prospect of young, educated people leaving their place of residence (i.e. emigrating) can have significant negative societal-level effects. Understanding the complexity of the brain-drain phenomenon and its antecedents is critical to developing multi-level (i.e. global, societal and individual) strategic solutions. A qualitative analysis of several focus-group interviews was used to understand young, educated residents&amp;rsquo; reasons either for emigrating or for remaining in North Macedonia. Two overarching themes served to organise the participant-identified drivers for emigration and those opposed to it. Three sub-themes emerged describing the factors for emigration: 1) a lack of professional opportunities, 2) institutional systems, and 3) cultural tightness. Likewise, three sub-themes emerged describing the factors for staying: 1) community, 2) culture and 3) social responsibility. Insights serve to contextualise some of the experiences of young, educated people in small, low-to-middle-income, countries which impact on their emigration decisions. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><custom2><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;26 May 2021&lt;/p&gt;</style></custom2><custom3><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;29 June 2022&lt;/p&gt;</style></custom3></record></records></xml>