Planning Through Dialogue for Rural Development: The European Citizens’ Panel Initiative

This paper presents a narrative of the operation of the European Citizens’ Panel that reported in 2007 on the future roles of rural areas. This dialogue was located within a wider and recent engagement by the EU with its citizens following rejection of the EU Constitutional Treaty. The paper draws attention to the contemporary rural development challenges in Europe that were debated by eight regional panels as a prelude to a wider European deliberation. The working method of the European Citizens’ Panel is outlined and critical commentary is provided on the interaction between planning through dialogue, EU citizenship renewal, and the shaping of bottom-up development trajectories.

Are rural development programmes socially inclusive? Social inclusion, civic engagement, participation, and social capital: Exploring the differences

Considerable importance is attached to social exclusion/inclusion in recent EU rural development programmes. At the national/regional operation of these programmes groups of people who are not participating are often identified as ‘socially excluded groups’. This article contends that rural development programmes are misinterpreting the social processes of participation and consequently labelling some groups as socially excluded when they are not. This is partly because of the interchangeable and confused use of the concepts social inclusion, social capital and civic engagement, and partly because of the presumption that to participate is the default position. Three groups identified as socially excluded groups in Northern Ireland are considered. It is argued that a more careful analysis of what social inclusion means, what civic engagement means, and why participation is presumed to be the norm, leads to a different conclusion about who is excluded. This has both theoretical and policy relevance for the much used concept of social inclusion.

The diverse geographies of rural gentrification in Scotland

Gentrification has for too long been investigated as an urban phenomenon. Only relatively recently has it been viewed as an avenue for fruitful rural research. This paper focuses on the repopulation of rural Scotland. Using survey and interview data it examines evidence of gentrification among in-migration flows and seeks to explore both the social transformation of rural areas and the social displacement of rural residents.

The findings point towards important geographical variations. Not all in-migration represents gentrification, and where it does gives rise to very differing impacts. Clear spatial divisions in the local housing market are identified, and evidence is obtained to support a number of differing theoretical debates. Issues of social displacement and population replacement are explored, with the paper tentatively suggesting an important link between urban and rural gentrification processes. Finally, temporal and geographical phases of gentrification are identified. Collectively these findings have direct relevance to how we define gentrification.

A Review of Demographic Ageing in the UK: Opportunities for Rural Research

Demographic ageing is a global phenomenon. UK policy and research have, until recently, focused on national trends and implications and largely viewed ageing as a 'pensions and care' problem. While other and more positive aspects are beginning to be acknowledged, regional, local, and rural impacts remain underinvestigated. This paper, by reviewing the literature from several disciplines and countries, introduces a series of research questions that could usefully inform future geographical inquiry. It argues that the nature, experiences, and consequences of demographic ageing will vary across space, stage in the life course and numerous aspects of our everyday lives. Our current knowledge and understanding are but the tip of the iceberg in terms of the research opportunities that lie ahead.

Folklore’s Timeless Past, Ireland’s Present Past, and the Perception of Rural Houses in Early Historic Ireland

This study examines how the archaeology of historic Ireland has been interpreted. Two approaches to the history and archaeology of Ireland are identified. The first, the timeless past, has its roots in a neo-Lamarckian view of the past. This perspective was particularly developed in the work of geographer and ethnographer, Estyn Evans. The second view, associated in particular with a nationalist approach to Ireland’s past, looked to the west of the country where it was believed the culture had been preserved largely unchanged and in its purest form. The continuing impact of these frameworks upon the interpretation of rural settlement in the period 1200– 1700 is examined. It is argued that historians and archaeologists alike have underestimated the quality of buildings.

Connected Life Courses:Influences on and Experiences of 'Midlife' In-Migration to Rural Areas

This paper aims to contribute to the theorisation of midlife migration into rural areas. Although the factors influencing migration are known to be variable at different stages of a person's life, much less well understood is how migration decisions at different stages of the life course are connected and how post-migration experiences may be influenced by an earlier life course stage. We argue that midlife migration decisions are the product of the migrant's lifetime experiences and influences up until that stage in their life alongside their expectations and aspirations for future life course stages. Using a case study of the Glens of Antrim (Northern Ireland), this paper specifically demonstrates the role of childhood memories to explain midlife migration to a rural area. In doing so, it argues that some findings more commonly associated with second-generation transnational migration are also equally relevant to migration within the UK. Roots migration and place attachment alongside the midlife migrant's post-migration sense of belonging and permanency are found to be influenced by the migrant's earlier memories, behaviours, and experiences.

Ageing in changing community contexts: Cross-border perspectives from rural Ireland and Northern Ireland

Ongoing demographic, social, economic and cultural changes point to the dynamic and continually changing contexts of rural areas in Ireland and Northern Ireland. However, the influence of such changes on the lives of older people remains under-explored, particularly the question of how older people perceive, connect to and engage in their communities. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with indigenous and non-indigenous older people in three case-study sites in Ireland, Northern Ireland and a cross-border region, this article presents a comparative analysis of how changing community contexts have shaped the lives of rural-dwelling older people. The analysis focuses on four key areas: economic structure and service access; social relations and social cohesion; meanings and attachments; and community engagement. While the findings demonstrate that some dimensions of participants’ lives were affected by complex economic and social changes, others dimensions were connected in a more significant way to life course and residential history and the desire to maintain community capacity.

Pre-Retirement Age Migration to Remote Rural Areas

Recent literature suggests that the increasingly blurred relationship between paid employment and retirement facilitates a retirement transition period, a life course stage, which may involve a change of residence. The role of such pre-retirement age mobility in the repopulation of rural areas has, however, received relatively little academic scrutiny. This paper draws upon findings from a two-year study conducted in three UK case study areas. It examines the extent of pre-retirement age (aged 50–64) migration into remote rural communities and the impacts this type of movement has upon economic activity, social and community engagement and service provision. It is argued that while this under-researched cohort offers opportunities to support the social and economic sustainability of rural communities (at least in the short and medium term), there are notable challenges which are likely to emerge as it ages in situ. The findings are particularly relevant given national trends on population ageing.

The Emergence of Rural Support Organisations in the UK and Canada: Providing Support for Patrilineal Family Farming

A certain type of rural support has emerged since agricultural restructuring of the 1980s. The article draws on research from the UK and Canada to suggest that support in both countries is derived from a patrilineal culture that still dominates family farming in both countries. Such a way of life, it is argued, involves the majority of farming men and women across generations working increasingly hard to ensure farm survival in order to facilitate an overall pattern of farm succession via the male or ‘patrilineal’ line. The article begins by providing a conceptualisation of patrilineal family farming drawing on insights from gender-informed work on farming identities, political-economy approaches from agricultural geography and the cultural turn in rural studies. This section will provide theoretical direction for discussion of the research findings. Here the article presents a discussion of the context to and typologies of organisations that emerged and five key findings derived from research conducted with members of the organisations in the UK and Canada. This assists in developing the argument that the emergent organisations are responding to and supporting this way of life and highlights some of the potential implications of doing so. The article has two aims. Firstly, it suggests that family farming in the UK and Canada continues to be predominantly structured by a way of life transmitted across generations which has the overall prerequisite of maintaining farm survival to enable patrilineal succession. Secondly, it suggests that a particular type of support for farming families emerged as a response to perceived threats to this way of life and provides evidence of its enduring nature.

Time to re-think rural development?

(2004) Time to re-think rural development? EuroChoices Vol. 3 No. 2 pp.33-40

Rural Support Networks in the UK and Canada: The Influence of the Patrilineal Culture of Family Farming

Rural support organisations have emerged since agricultural restructuring of the 1980s. The paper draws on research from the UK and Canada to suggest that the support in both countries is derived from a patrilineal culture that still dominates family farming. The paper begins by outlining a conceptual basis for arguing that such a culture can be understood as comprising of male and female relational gender identities capable of explaining farm relationships, farm survival and adjustment strategies and community engagement. These components, it is argued, are facets of the patrilineal farming culture which must be understood if its impacts on all its members are to be appropriately comprehended and supported.

The paper has two key aims, therefore. Firstly it suggests that a more nuanced understanding of farming „culture? which is persistently patrilineal in nature is now required which is capable of addressing the realities of farming individuals?
lives as they perceive them. The conceptualisation of such a culture is informed
by drawing on insights from gender theory, agricultural geography and rural studies. This conceptual discussion provides the context for the paper?s second aim which is to demonstrate how rural support in both the UK and Canada is derived „from? and is influenced by such a patrilineal culture . Findings are
presented identifying five key themes from this conceptualization which influence the support of such organisations. Thus, it is suggested, that the nature of rural support can be better understood and the appropriateness of the support interrogated when such conceptualization is taken on board.