Rural Geography: Processes, Responses and Experiences in Rural Restructuring

Rural Geography is a comprehensive introduction to the study of rural economies and rural societies. It provides a detailed explanation of rural change by focusing on:

· processes of rural restructuring: globalization, agricultural and economic change, social and population recomposition, environmental change
· responses to rural restructuring: the reform of rural policy, new strategies for rural development and governance, the commodification of the countryside, environmental protection initiatives and rural conflicts
· experiences of rural restructuring: changing rural lifestyles, the young and elderly in rural societies, issues of health, housing, crime, employment, poverty and ethnicity.

Using comparative examples throughout, the short-chapter format is designed to be an accessible undergraduate text, supported by boxed case studies and key term definitions. The text is also appropriate for advanced undergraduate courses, providing an introduction to major conceptual approaches in rural studies and guiding students towards further reading and websites.