The nexus of place attachment, spatial behaviour and subjective well-being. A pilot case of Indian expatriates in Dubai

With ongoing migration worldwide, communities are becoming increasingly diverse. Therefore, understanding the expatriates’ aspects of subjective well-being requires multifaceted approach, which are mostly overlooked in terms of people’s relationship with their built environment. Focusing on Indian expatriates, who are significant portion of Dubai’s population, this research investigates their lived experiences and interactions with their spatial environment by exploring the concept of place attachment. Within the scope of a pilot study, a qualitative case study method has been employed, utilizing a phenomenological approach. This pilot study’s findings reveal that Indian expatriates, by engaging in spatial behaviours such as adapting to their new place of living, recreating elements from their places of origin, and re-establishing social circles, successfully cultivate a strong sense of place attachment, which contributes to their subjective well-being in the context of migration and the meaning of home.