Defense of the doctoral dissertation: Jānis Krūmiņš

On 30 April 2026 at 10:00, at the University of Latvia, Faculty of Science and Technology, Jelgavas Street 1, Room 702, Riga, at the open meeting of the Joint Promotion Council of the University of Latvia in Earth Sciences, Physical Geography and Environmental Science, and Social and Economic Geography, JĀNIS KRŪMIŅŠ will defend his doctoral thesis “The Role of Internal Migration in Changes in the Spatial Distribution and Composition of the Population in Latvia” for the degree of Doctor of Science (Ph.D.) in Social Sciences, in the field of Social and Economic Geography, subfield of Human Geography.

Scientific supervisors of the work:

• Assoc. Prof., Dr. geogr. Raimonds Kasparinskis
• Prof., Dr. geogr. Oļģerts Nikodemus

Reviewers:

1. Dr. Donatas Burneika (Vilnius University, Lithuania)
2. Dr. Nissa Finney (University of St Andrews, United Kingdom)
3. Dr. Jānis Brizga (University of Latvia)

Abstract

This doctoral thesis is a thematically unified collection of scientific publications examining the role of internal migration in population redistribution across Latvia. It analyses the geographical distribution of migrants at different spatial scales using georeferenced data and spatial analysis methods, and applies regression analysis to examine the population composition of in-migrants. The findings are based on annual registered migration data (2011–2021) and individual-level census data (2000, 2011, 2021). A key novelty of the study lies in the application of spatial autocorrelation at a regular grid cell level, extending its use in migration research; whereas the regression analysis contributes to the theoretical literature on the role of migration in shaping the territorial differentiation of human capital.