Some Fundamentals of Near-Urban and Other Rurality

Abstract

In this short paper we suggest that analyses carried out at a crude spatial resolution and by means of simple dynamics are misleading. There is a need to take into account various feedbacks and vague boundaries of cities, towns and villages. Analyses at a fine spatial resolution suggest a great variety of possible future evolutions of rural areas. We present elements of an agent based model that incorporates by analogy strong and weak forces and generates life cycles of settlements.