{"title":"Intergovernmental discontent in rural areas: A perspective from local councils in Spain during the Great Recession","authors":"Diana Valero","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Left-behind places have gained attention during the last years and among those, particular attention has been paid to rural areas, where discontent finds anchor in an articulated narrative of distinctiveness that separates rural and urban, and on which populist parties would have tapped. Thus, rural discontent can be considered a specific expression of disaffection of left-behind places, shaped and characterised by the processes and narratives that are particular to rural areas. Understanding the social justice structure of the discontent is essential to identify the critical elements contributing to a revival of rural-urban cleavages and rethink the development paths in rural areas that feel left behind.</div><div>To advance on the qualitative understanding of the configuration of the left-behind places, this contribution explores discontent among rural mayors in a Spanish region -Valencia- during the Great Recession. Building on qualitative evidence and using a social justice approach, the presentation will explore the institutional factors driving rural discontent. The results describe the emergence of rural discontent rooted in perceptions of intergovernmental inequality upon redistribution, recognition and representation issues that are shaped by demographic, political and environmental features of rurality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103426"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142529981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luís Filipe Silva, Francisco Carballo-Cruz, José Cadima Ribeiro
{"title":"Residents’ perceptions of tourism development in the context of a new governance framework for Portuguese protected areas: The case of a small peripheral natural park","authors":"Luís Filipe Silva, Francisco Carballo-Cruz, José Cadima Ribeiro","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103451","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103451","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Historically, Portuguese protected areas (PAs) have been operating under top-down governance, often neglecting local communities. In 2019, the Portuguese government established a new governance model for PAs, based on co-management. The new co-management approach emphasises collaborative and participatory governance and positions sustainable tourism as a catalyst for territorial revitalisation and local development. However, local communities' attitudes and perceptions regarding tourism in these areas remain largely uncharted. This study focuses on the Alvão Natural Park (PNAL), a small rural and mountainous Portuguese PA, which is currently in the early stages of co-management implementation. Our goal was to investigate local residents' perceptions of tourism's impacts and identify potential divergence among resident groups and their level of support for tourism development. These insights are crucial because the active engagement of local communities is a key element for sustainable tourism development and the successful implementation of co-management. The study employed a self-administered survey, garnering responses from 250 PNAL residents representing over half of the park's population. Factor analysis identified four primary perceptual dimensions and cluster analysis classified residents into three distinct groups based on their tourism perceptions. While most PNAL residents express support for tourism development, there is a resounding call for new policies to revert the legacy of top-down governance. This research provides essential insights for shaping effective tourism policies, planning and development strategies, and ensuring the active involvement of local communities in co-management and sustainable development efforts within the PNAL. Moreover, this study demonstrates the applicability of this research approach in the context of evolving governance models with the potential for adaptation to other PAs across Portugal and other countries undergoing similar governance transitions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103451"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142529980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Navigating integration challenges: Insights from migrant dairy farm workers in New Zealand","authors":"Jacob Kambuta , Peter Edwards , Kathryn Bicknell","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103454","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103454","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the global demand for milk products continues to increase and dairy sectors become more concentrated, a pressing question arises: who will milk the cows and where will they come from? Mirroring global trends, the New Zealand dairy industry has experienced significant structural changes, with a shift from family-run dairy farms to larger commercially orientated operations. At the same time, domestic socio-economic and demographic changes have resulted in rural to urban migration. These factors have contributed to a shortage of skilled labour in some regions. To meet its labour demands, the New Zealand dairy sector has relied increasingly heavily on temporary migrant workers, who face significant challenges integrating into their new communities. This study uses data from in-depth interviews with 25 migrant dairy farm workers in Canterbury, New Zealand, and a modified conceptual framework for integration developed by Ager and Strang to enhance our understanding of how skilled migrants in the dairy sector adapt to unfamiliar host communities. Through thematic analysis we identify the factors that either facilitate or hinder the successful integration of this important but vulnerable group. Key themes include motivations for moving to New Zealand, pathways to obtaining their positions, and the primary challenges that they experience in attempting to integrate. Challenges include physical and social isolation, discrimination, and a lack of access to key services. As the agricultural sector continues to grow, it is essential to provide migrant farm workers with adequate support to ensure their successful social, cultural, and economic integration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103454"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142444869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Florence A. Becot , Sandra Contzen , Marie Reusch , Majda Černič Istenič , Julia Valliant , Shoshanah Inwood , Hannah Budge , Anna Kroeplin
{"title":"New insights on the role of the farm household-farm operation interface in family farm persistence and a call for future research","authors":"Florence A. Becot , Sandra Contzen , Marie Reusch , Majda Černič Istenič , Julia Valliant , Shoshanah Inwood , Hannah Budge , Anna Kroeplin","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103449","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103449","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rural social scientists have long sought to understand what the structure of agriculture will look like in the future, who is going to do the work, and under what conditions with a focus on family owned and operated farms. Central to the theorization of farm families' ability to continue farming in the midst of on-going changes are the deep inter-connections between the farm household and the farm operation and farm families’ ability to adjust how resources are used within the farm household and operation spheres. Yet in this paper we argue that the interface between the household and operation has largely been treated as a black box and when it has been considered, it has largely been from the vantage point of the farm operation at the expense of the farm household. We substantiate our argument by drawing on insights from our individual research and collective discussions during a three-day workshop around three themes (i.e. gender, life course and farm business cycle, formal and informal support systems). As an invitation for others to join us in opening a new line of research, we propose a research agenda and discuss considerations around research designs, data, funding, and collaborations to tackle this research agenda.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103449"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142444868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ibrahima Kalil Doumbouya , Anna Dessertine , Marc Vinches , Juliette Cerceau
{"title":"Mechanization of artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Guinea: Socio-technical trajectory of a rural mining site in Upper Guinea","authors":"Ibrahima Kalil Doumbouya , Anna Dessertine , Marc Vinches , Juliette Cerceau","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since the beginning of the 21st century, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in West Africa has undergone intensification and significant development due to the introduction of increasingly mechanized extraction and processing method. Mechanization generates significant transformations in the socio-technical dynamics of artisanal gold mining. In the specific context of ASGM in Upper Guinea, the article argues that small-scale innovations (ie. ‘low noise’ or ‘low technological level’ innovations) are leading to a profound socio-economic transformation of the rural environment over a long period of time. We begin by describing and analyzing the impact of the introduction of minor innovations (metal detectors, <em>solonins</em> and fan motors) on ASGM practices. We then examine the political, social and economic changes brought about by the adoption of these new mechanized practices, again at the rural level. Finally, we discuss the transition toward a new socio-technical regime, questioning the reshaping of local governance and its impact on new configurations of land ownership and use in rural areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103445"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142444870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Examining the connection between resourcefulness and resilience: Analysis of UK rural SME firm-level enterprise characteristics","authors":"Fahimeh Malekinezhad, Evgenia Micha, Damian Maye","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103450","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103450","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ability of rural enterprises to withstand external shocks has been examined at regional and sectoral levels using extensive evidence bases. However, little is known of rural SMEs' resourcefulness and how this can affect their resilience. Rural SMEs have been exposed to severe operational disruptions in the face of recent internal and external shocks caused by turbulent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis suggests SME resilience is not sector-wide and depends on enterprises' behaviour, entrepreneurial activity and ability to manage existing resources: a process generally known as ‘bricolage’. This paper examines the connection between resourcefulness of rural SMEs and their resilience capacity. Data from an extensive cross-sectional survey of rural SMEs in the UK was used in a multivariate analysis to create a typology of rural SMEs based on resourcefulness measured by behaviours such as social networking. Rural SME enterprise types are then compared against variables indicating resilient performance during the pandemic. Four rural SME enterprise types emerge from the analysis, each with different strategic behaviours and resilience performance attributes. The typology underscores the importance of resourcefulness in SME resilience and argues that resilience goes beyond regional or sectoral contexts and has to do with idiosyncratic features and individual characteristics. The analysis emphasises the importance of supporting and enhancing resourcefulness capabilities in resilience planning and provides a valuable baseline for further in-depth research on understanding rural SMEs' ability to be resilient in times of crisis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103450"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142440863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francesco Piras, Marta Allegri, Beatrice Fiore, Mauro Agnoletti, Antonio Santoro
{"title":"Cultural landscape transformations in the \"Prosecco hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene\" UNESCO World Heritage Site in the context of terrain morphology","authors":"Francesco Piras, Marta Allegri, Beatrice Fiore, Mauro Agnoletti, Antonio Santoro","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The \"Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene\" has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2019 under the category “cultural landscapes”. The study analysed land use and landscape changes in the last six decades through spatial analyses and landscape metrics, identifying main changes and comparing similarities and differences between the Core and the Buffer Zone. The main aims were to identify the main drivers that contributed to the preservation of the traditional cultural landscape and to provide data and indications for landscape planning and conservation, with particular attention to the opportunities/threats due to the expected increase of tourism resulting from the recent UNESCO recognition. The study was conducted in the framework of the UNESCO site Management Plan.</div><div>Results demonstrated that the Core Zone traditional landscape has a higher level of integrity compared to the Buffer Zone, due to the different terrain morphology that represents the main driver. The rough morphology of the Core Zone contributed to the preservation of traditional vineyards interspersed with small woods, linear tree formations and forest patches, as it was not possible to introduce mechanisation in viticulture due to steep slopes that oblige farmers to cultivate vines on <em>ciglioni</em> (earth terraces). Core Zone's main change was due to forestation (21% of the surface) on steeper slopes and higher altitudes, caused by the abandonment of pastures that occurred in the last decades. The main transformations in the Buffer Zone were agricultural intensification (29% of the surface) due to the replacement of traditional mixed crops, meadows, and arable land with modern and mechanised vineyards, and urban sprawl (average rate of 10 ha/year). The study highlighted that despite land use changes the Buffer Zone still contributes to the conservation of the overall UNESCO site landscape quality. Buffer Zone can also have a potential key-role in mitigating the increasing tourist flows, but additional urban sprawl or the spread of other modern vineyards should be avoided. The main long-term objective should be the preservation of the cultural landscape and the peaceful coexistence of farmers, local population and tourists, with mutual benefits, by applying a participatory approach.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103452"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142440864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Harold Opdenbosch , Mark V. Brady , Ivan Bimbilovski , Rebecca Swärd , Gordana Manevska-Tasevska
{"title":"Farm-level acceptability of contract attributes in agri-environment-climate measures for biodiversity conservation","authors":"Harold Opdenbosch , Mark V. Brady , Ivan Bimbilovski , Rebecca Swärd , Gordana Manevska-Tasevska","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103448","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103448","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Farmers are key to preserving and restoring semi-natural pastures (SNPs) while maintaining their environmental and cultural significance. To support these efforts, it is essential to create favorable conditions that encourages voluntary participation of farmers in agri-environment-climate measures (AECM) for SNP management. This study aims to assess acceptability of contract attributes within AECM for SNP management at the farm-level, including supported activity, payment, inspection, and sanction. Using a qualitative document analysis on data from semi-structured interviews, scientific literature, and policy documents, this study provides insights into farmers' perceptions of how these attributes affect effective implementation, along with recommendations for alternative solutions, and the potential of the Strategic Plan (SP) 2023–27. Results highlight concerns with current AECM, such as: i) misunderstandings between authorities and farmers on stipulated practices and conflicts with other regulations; ii) growing importance and reliance on payments; iii) apprehensions concerning potential interactions with unfavorable inspectors and punitive financial measures. Farmers expressed a strong desire for increased management flexibility, underscoring its significance over stringent contract attributes, and convey a need for improved communication with authorities. The SP 2023-27 offers an opportunity for improvements, mainly through administrative modifications via service digitalisation. As such, the results contribute to governance debates linked to contractual design and have implications for policy effectiveness, addressing both the appropriateness of AECM as a policy instrument and the capacity of governmental agencies to implement them effectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103448"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142426072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Is Australia's urban-regional schism on climate reality or rhetoric?","authors":"R.M. Colvin , Frank Jotzo , Kelly S. Fielding","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103446","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103446","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research and popular discourse have not settled on whether there exists an urban-regional divide on climate. In Australia, we observe rhetoric in the public sphere suggesting such a divide. In this paper we examine whether the urban-regional schism on climate reflects the reality of Australians' opinions on climate change. We conducted a quota survey of the Australian population (N = 2,952) and measured opinion across seven climate and seven social issues. We found limited evidence of an urban-regional divide on climate change and most social issues. However, urban and regional Australians’ attitudes differed on one item: perception of difference between urban and regional people. We suggest that urban-regional divide rhetoric may appeal to rural <em>identifying</em> people, not regional residents per se. We also identified the role of media habits: consumption of ABC (the national broadcaster) or Sky News (News Corp subscription channel) are significant predictors of climate opinion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103446"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142426074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shizhen Huang , Yuting Liu , Xing Huang , Haitong Mo
{"title":"Exploring the institutional factors in mitigating rural gentrification-led displacement: The case of Xiaozhou Village in Guangzhou, China","authors":"Shizhen Huang , Yuting Liu , Xing Huang , Haitong Mo","doi":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103441","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103441","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Displacement remains a critical issue in global gentrification research, highlighting class tensions and social injustices. While recent literature has increasingly examined gentrification-led displacement, particularly in rural settings, the experiences of rural China in managing displacement have received comparatively limited attention. This paper offers two primary contributions. First, it proposes an institutional factors-based understanding to elucidate the distinctive nature of gentrification-led displacement in rural China. Second, it explores the mitigating effects and mechanisms of formal and informal institutional factors based on the analysis of the case of Xiaozhou Village. Our study finds that: 1) Formal institutional factors, including laws, regulations, planning documents, and legal titles, provide a bottom-line guarantee for villagers, mitigating spatial and economic displacement pressures. 2) Informal clan-based institutional factors mitigate sociocultural displacement pressure by reinforcing shared consensus, behavioral norms, and self-imposed codes of conduct. 3) The mitigation of direct displacement is attributed to the cooperation between these institutional factors, enabling villagers to return to their communities and rebuild their homes. These structural experiences offer valuable insights that can be flexibly integrated into the global anti-gentrification movement, advancing the theoretical understanding and practical management of rural gentrification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17002,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Studies","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103441"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142426075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}