Hungarian Rural Areas Research Articles

Inclusion or Exclusion? The Spatial Habitus of Rural Gentrifiers

Several rural areas all over the world have experienced the inflow of the urban better‐off. This rural gentrification takes various temporary and permanent forms, i.e., lifestyle migration, second‐home ownership, or short‐term visitors. Scholarly interest in rural gentrification is evidenced by the growing body of literature. Based on 105 semi‐structured in‐depth interviews conducted in two rural areas in Hungary, this article aims to explore the perceptions, motivations, preferences, and lived experiences of rural newcomers, their position within the community, as well as processes of inclusion and exclusion. We rely on Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus and argue that it includes distinct spatial dispositions forming a “spatial habitus.” The interviews show that the middle‐class rural gentrifiers’ (spatial) habitus is entangled with their cultural capital and represents a mixture of urban and “ruralising” dispositions. Their spatial practices are interpreted as the result of middle‐class (spatial) habitus and middle‐class symbolic distinction. At the same time, middle‐class rural gentrifiers are active local agents who defy common notions of newcomers having to integrate into their communities of choice.

The Barriers of Co-Creative Service Development Models in the Context of Disadvantaged Rural Areas in Hungary

The paper is based on the observation of the process of reviving the forgotten culture of household economy, horticulture and livestock farming in disadvantaged rural areas and, through this, to develop a new service model for rural communities to strengthen the role of grassroots initiatives and enhancing the mechanisms of the co-operative model of local economy and democracy. Our research has shown that bottom-up models have several barriers to local governments in rural areas. The change in the political and governmental model of the last ten years has resulted in the restraint of local government autonomy and the vacancy of the role of local governments as public service providers. In this system, we can observe the strengthening of administrative dependence, the devaluation of the local elected political leadership (mayors) and the emergence of new rules of local power. In small settlements with less than 2,000 inhabitants, central state and political dependence intensified. Attempts to strengthen local communities have proved to be a major challenge in a highly centralised model of government. The present study gathers the factors that hinder the success of co-creative approaches in the local context and shows how the public service innovations organised by local governments are determined by the political and economic culture prevailing at the national level.

Long-Term Vision For Rural Areas

The European Commission initiated the preparation of a new long-term vision for rural areas. First step of this process was the launch of a public consultation to which also the Horizon 2020 SHERPA (Sustainable Hub to Engage into Rural Policies with Actors) project is making a contribution on behalf of 20 different Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs). The Hungarian MAP - a group of science-society-policy actors - focuses on the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS), more precisely digitalization. The topic of Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System - is a horizontal issue and it is embedded even into the Common Agricultural Policy’s (CAP) strategic planning process. Being part of it, the development of AKIS requires close and intensive cooperation of policy makers, researchers and farmers or in broader context the society with various stakeholders. The aim of the Hungarian research was to identify the current and likely trends for the Hungarian rural areas and to point out key challenges, opportunities, enablers and hinderers in rural development in terms of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) up until 2040. The methodology used was the Delphi technique. In the first phase, a review of key trends, main challenges and opportunities and a summary of existing foresight regarding digital agriculture was written. Then AKIS experts were asked to talk about their experiences and opinions in the framework of interviews, a focus group meeting and a survey. In the end, results of the survey were discussed in a consensus meeting. Among the results, it is worth mentioning that digitization and digitalization will fundamentally change the way rural areas operate including economic, environmental and social dimensions. The main enablers of a promising future vision are capacity building for knowledge transfer, adaptation for job creation and offering better quality of life, stronger community building for collaborations, deeper government involvement, and last but not least, strengthening the local identity in rural areas.

Acceptance and Potential of Renewable Energy Sources Based on Biomass in Rural Areas of Hungary

The main focus of the paper is the investigation of the social potential of local renewable energy utilization in a rural peripheral region in Hungary. Public acceptance of biomass-based renewable energy sources can be crucial for rural communities in realization of their sustainable development strategy. The research area was Koppany Valley Natur Park 2000, a microregion of 10 settlements located in the South Transdanubian region. This microregion is characterized by poor and depressive socioeconomic and demographical conditions, despite its significant natural resources. The microregion’s complex development strategy includes the utilization of local resources of renewable energy. Local population survey (n = 310) was conducted (in May 2018) on local biomass potential, knowledge, and attitudes of the local stakeholders in the microregion. Multinomial logistic regression model estimates the acceptance of population, explanatory variables are categorical demographical (personal) factors and specific factors (based on answers of respondents). Trust in local authorities, knowledge on biomass in general and on specific technologies, as well as the education level of rural inhabitants are significant factors in supporting biomass plant establishment. Further, the group and characteristics of acceptance groups that the local development strategy may consider were defined.

Model of Local Economic Development in Hungarian Countryside

Abstract During and the following years of economic crisis that started in 2008, the European Union did not find reliable answers to some negative effects of downturn. This was highly true in East Central Europe, in the ex-socialist countries. Regional differences increased at the expanse of rural areas. The inefficient efforts to revitalize rural countryside echoed new. The main aim of the paper is to investigate on the necessary elements and mechanisms of employment growth in Hungarian rural areas. Based on the original applied research series conducted in 2012–2013 and 2015–2016, and the publication of the first results in line with the relevant literature, the authors built a general model inspired by geographical spheres for practical use of stakeholders and policymakers. The parts of the model, the interrelations, mechanisms and functions between them were the subject matter of this paper. The authors expect debate on further generalization of the model.

Economic factors of rural area development of the region, financial sources and human resources

The complexity of borders and border area in terms of European Union, cohesion policy, implementation of cross-border program 2007-2013 in urban and rural areas of Hungary and Croatia, monitoring the impact of invested funds and their comprehensiveness, the attitude of beneficiaries of infrastructural and human resources development projects are discussed in this paper. All in the light of given possibilities and untapped opportunities that can bring significant benefits to this area. The primary survey is conducted in the observed area after the implementation of all approved cross-border projects. Besides, available data sources and implemented research in the cross-border area of Hungary and Croatia are also discussed. The paper seeks to contribute to the discourse on the subject of monitoring the overall impact of the implemented activities in the cross-border area because there are no similar studies that comprehensively approach this complex problem for areas of cross-border cooperation in the European Union.

Local economic activities serving good governance in rural areas

The aim of this study is to give an overview on the concepts and practices of governance and good governance in the world with the recent Hungarian research results. It has always an important issue how good governance can lead to the development and catching up of rural areas, how it can translate economic growth to the welfare of people. Good governance has been placed high on the agenda of development policies, since it is supposed to create an environment in which sustained economic growth becomes achievable. Therefore, good governance has key importance in the development of rural areas which are mainly disadvantaged regions of Hungary and their sustainable development is a must. However, based on their current resources and socio-economic status, rather recession can be observed instead of their development. Several studies have been made in relation to the development potentials of Hungarian rural areas, calling attention on endogenous development strategies. This paper intends to focus on the role of good governance in achieving the expected targets.

Violations of the right to the city for women with disabilities in peripheral rural communities in Hungary

The denial of the right to the city for various social groups is well documented in academic discourses. However, these debates lack sufficient attention to intersecting axes of social disadvantage. Furthermore, most of the relevant studies apply definitions of the right to the city that are based on urban inhabitance. In Hungary, and in other Central and Eastern European countries, where urban-rural inequalities are still obvious manifestations of uneven spatial development, we should also concentrate on the right to the city of those who inhabit rural communities.In this study, we address the following research question: how does the right to the city (as a universal human right) apply to rural women who experience multiple social disadvantage? We argue that within the framework of the concept of the right to the city, people's basic needs and the fact that certain social groups cannot exercise their right to fundamental urban resources should not be downplayed. We also argue that the curtailment of the right to the city is not universal among rural dwellers, and this disadvantage does not affect each of these people to the same extent and in the same ways. There is a considerable diversity in how the limitation of the right to urban resources manifests itself and how disadvantaged rural residents experience it (due to e.g. intersecting axes of oppression/identities). Our empirical study is based on interviews conducted with 32 disabled or chronically ill women living in Hungarian rural areas. The focus is on their perceptions of their everyday lives and reflections on their problems regarding the access to urban resources and services. According to the interviews, urban-rural divide and patriarchal and ableist power relations contribute to the violations of disabled women's right to the city.

Can (Re)Centralization Be a Modern Governance in Rural Areas?

Concentration and recentralization can be described as a European trend in the fi eld of local governance, especially in the fi eld of the administration of rural areas. An important tool of the concentration of the local administration is the intercommunal cooperation. The Hungarian rural areas have fragmented spatial structures. Because of the fragmentation and the small number of the voluntary associations these types of local cooperation were signifi cantly supported by the central budget in the 1990s and 2000s. The economic crisis resulted in a strong concentration trend in Hungary, as well. The new Hungarian Municipal Code introduced a Janus-faced model. The administration of the rural areas was strongly concentrated by the establishment of the mandatory common municipal offi ces of the small villages (under 2000 inhabitants) while the forms of the intercommunal associations were simplifi ed. This reform reduced the number of local offi ces signifi cantly. This type of intercommunal cooperation became the main form of the j oined public service management as well, because the former signifi cant state aid of the voluntary associations has been reduced.

The impact of transition on agriculture and rural areas in Hungary

In this paper authors are dealing with the link between processes of transition, liberalization, decentralization and influence of these processes in agriculture and rural areas in Hungary. After the collapse of Warsaw Pact, Hungary entered the process of transition. Some important steps that were made in accordance with this process were territorial decentralisation and market liberalization. In parallel with the process of transition also was the process of privatization. It changed the structure of agricultural farms in the sense that they become too weak to survive in the market. Market liberalization has been the especially negative for agriculture and rural areas. However, in the meantime Hungary joined the European Union. It can be expected in the future that Hungary will stabilize the development of agriculture and rural areas if implements measures in accordance with guidelines that are precondition for using European funds intended for this purpose.

Examining the Factors of Endogenous Development in Hungarian Rural Areas by Means of PLS Path Analysis

Examining the Factors of Endogenous Development in Hungarian Rural Areas by Means of PLS Path Analysis

Body — identity — society: Concepts of the socially accepted body in the 20th century in Hungarian rural areas

Wide-ranging research has shown that cleanliness is both a social and a historical construct, that is, a relative rather than an absolute concept. The rather complex social and psychological context and causes of cleansing change with time and space. The social change characterized by modernization and urbanization in the first half of the 20th century had a profound effect on the mentality, way of life and social behavior of Hungarian peasantry as well, including the meaning of cleanliness and related customs. The aim of the paper is to analyze the practices and customs related to washing and bathing and their modification triggered by socio-economic and political change. The first part of the article gives a brief clarification of the terms “cleanliness” and “hygiene,” surveys Hungarian and international research on the topic, and presents a brief history of cleansing as a universal custom. In the second part, the author outlines a socio-historical model of the major stages of change in Hungarian village habits of cleanliness based on extensive field experience.

The Formation of Social and Economic Peripheries in Hungary after the Change of Regime

The Hungarian industrial revolution started in the second half of the 19th century, which caused therevaluation of the geographical peripheries in Hungary. After the Trianon Treaty the rural areas of Hungarylost their foreign markets and became the "country of three million beggars". The socialist industrializationof the systems of Rákosi and Kádár absorbed the surplus of rural labour, but the industrializationmeant the redistributive exploitation of the agricultural areas and the further impoverishment. Afterthe political transition in 1989, the rural Hungary could not be the "pantry of the Council for MutualEconomic Assistance", and the final crisis of the Hungarian agricultural sales finalized the deformationof the three-quarters of Hungary, the major part of the rural areas in Hungary. In the recent decades thebrain drain worked in the Hungarian peripheries, the disinvestment and the pauperization increased.The emerging of the new latifundia and the monoculture commodity production operate independently,separated from the Hungarian rural people in the sense of ownerships and production. As the result ofthese negative processes, significant part of the society in the peripheral areas declassed. In this hopelesssituation awareness only a conscious regional policy and above all, a very well-considered education isonly able to offer a chance for break

The Presence or the Absence of Schools: What Impact for Rural Communities in Hungary And Romania?

In rural communities, a school can be defined as an ‘axis mundi’. Besides providing basic education, the school represents an important cultural and social pivot. The aim of the study was to identify the links between the characteristics of rural areas in Hungary and Romania (population characteristics, employment and welfare characteristics, housing and infrastructure characteristics) and the school closure phenomenon. Secondary data were analyzed in order to describe the situation of each country. The preliminary results revealed problems related to the decrease of schools’ number, due to the unfavorable demographical situation and to the consolidation process. Despite the ambiguous findings, it is possible to say that rural communities with schools have a higher level of welfare. Even though in both countries school closures had a negative impact on the community, it is not implied that in those communities the worst living conditions were recorded. A limitation of the current study was the lack of the same set of variables for the two countries, which made difficult the comparison between them. Further research is needed in order to find out new correlations and interrelations and to prove them as statistically significant.

Vidéki térségeink innovációt befogadó képessége – Egy kutatás tapasztalatai

Az MTA és a Magyar Nemzeti Vidéki Kutatóhálózat (MNVH) közötti kutatási megállapodás keretében az egyik részkutatás témája a Társadalmi és gazdasági innováció, valamint a vidéki térségeink innovációt befogadó képessége címet viselte. A kutatás célja kettős volt, egyrészt a vidéki innováció fogalmának és összetevőinek elemzése, másrészt a társadalmi és gazdasági innovációt befogadó tér és társadalom jellemzőinek feltárása egy helyzetkép bemutatásán keresztül. A tanulmányban a fogalmak tisztázását követően az innovációs esetek empirikus vizsgálatának eredményeit mutatom be, majd meghatározom a rurális innováció földrajzi, társadalmi és gazdasági térre vonatkozó tulajdonságait az interjúk tapasztalatain keresztül. A vizsgálat rámutatott arra, hogy a befogadó közeg nagymértékben függ a társadalom, a gazdaság nyitottságától és a humán tőkétől. A tanulmány a társadalmi és gazdasági innováció egymásra hatását is vizsgálja, és eseteken keresztül mutatja be, hogyan képesek erősíteni egymást és magát az innovációra való hajlamot is. Végül elemzem a rurális innováció területi specifikumait és az innovátorok tulajdonságait.

Szegénység, projektek, közpolitikák

Az utóbbi években hazai és nemzetközi kutatások, jelentések sora hívja fel a figyelmet a mélyülő szegénységre, erősödő társadalmi és területi polarizációra Magyarországon. Kétségtelen, hogy e kedvezőtlen tendenciákban a válság hatásai is tetten érhetők, tanulmányomban mégis amellett kívánok érvelni, hogy az állam által végrehajtott „jóléti fordulat” perdöntő szerepet játszik a szegénységet, kirekesztettséget, egyenlőtlenségeket tápláló struktúrák, folyamatok tartósságában, fennmaradásában. Uniós tagállamként Magyarország is célul tűzte ki a szegénység és kirekesztettség mérséklését szolgáló politikák céljainak, eszközeinek átvételét, gyakorlatba ültetését. A 2013 tavaszán és nyarán tizenegy kistérségben végzett empirikus kutatásunk alapvető kérdése az volt, hogy vajon a szegénység mérséklését szolgáló, elsősorban uniós forrásokból megvalósuló projektek, programok alkalmasak-e arra, s ha igen, milyen mértékben, milyen feltételek mellett, hogy mérsékeljék a szegénység, a társadalmi kirekesztettség újratermelődésének esélyét. A szegénységet fenntartó struktúrák és folyamatok azonosítása mellett e projektek értékelésére is megkértük interjúpartnereinket. A vizsgált vidéki térségekben általános és más kutatási tapasztalatokkal egybecsengő meggyőződés, hogy a generációkon átívelően újratermelődő szegénység olyan összetett problémahalmazt jelent, amely egy-egy projekt időtartama alatt és projektszemlélettel nem oldható meg. A kedvezőtlen tendenciák megfordításához a projektek és az intézményi struktúrák, tágabban a szegénységben élők helyzetét, perspektíváit meghatározó közpolitikák céljainak, eszközrendszerének összhangja elengedhetetlen. E tekintetben Magyarországon súlyos deficitekről beszélhetünk. Az elmúlt évek közpolitikai változásai a szegénység mérséklését szolgáló projektek, programok célkitűzéseinek ellenében a szegénység és kirekesztettség mélyüléséhez vezetnek. Mivel a kormányzat a szegénység mérséklésének és kezelésének jószerivel kizárólagos eszközévé a közfoglalkoztatást tette, tanulmányunkban e program elemzésére fókuszálunk, bemutatva piactorzító, és a szegénységben élőket a munkanélküliség csapdájában, tartós függőségben, kiszolgáltatottságban tartó hatásait.

A vidék fogalma, lehatárolása és új tipológiai kísérlete

A vidék fogalmát és lehatárolását, a vidéki térségek újrastrukturálódását, valamint differenciálódását évtizedek óta tudományos diskurzusok övezik. Sokak szerint a vidéki terek jól definiálhatók és objektív mutatók segítségével egzakt módon körülírhatók, míg mások megkérdőjelezik a vidékfogalmak általános érvényét és időtállóságát. Az ezzel kapcsolatos eddigi eredményeket, különböző nézeteket és polémiákat áttekintve – más hazai műhelyekhez hasonlóan – mi is arra a végkövetkeztetésre jutottunk, hogy a „vidék” mint térkategória pontosan nem határozható meg. A szakmai viták azonban általában nem csupán elméleti és módszertani kérdéseket vetnek fel, hanem legtöbbször a területfejlesztéshez kötődő gyakorlatias szempontokat is; mint például az egyes európai uniós tagországok vidékfejlesztését szabályozó irányelvek kérdéskörét. A vidéki térségekről alkotott felfogás ugyanis nagyban meghatározza a nemzeti vidékpolitikák specifikus céljait, illetve predesztinálja a támogatási források elosztását, végső soron pedig a tájak, települések és az ott élő közösségek jövőjét is. Meglátásunk szerint hazánkban mind a témakör elvi kérdésfelvetései, mind a fejlesztésekhez kapcsolódó empíriák rendkívül időszerűek, hiszen a rurális értékek megőrzése és a vidéken élők helyzetének javítása az egyik legsürgetőbb társadalmi feladatunk. A vidék szerepének növekvő jelentőségét kiemelő komplex vidékkutatási program (2013) alkalmat teremtett a korábbi nemzetközi és hazai vidéktanulmányok áttekintésére, valamint a már ismert módszerek együttes alkalmazásával új szemléletű térkategória-rendszer kialakítására. Tanulmányunkban – a vidék fogalomkörével és területi lehatárolásával kapcsolatos eddigi megközelítések áttekintő összegzésén túl – a magyarországi vidéki térségek új szempontok szerinti tipológiai kísérletét is bemutatjuk. Kutatásunk során az újonnan kialakított közigazgatási egységeket, vagyis a járásokat vettük alapul, és vizsgálatainkat, majd az ezt követő tipizálásokat az általunk vidékinek „besorolt” járások körében végeztük el. Reményeink szerint munkánk támpontokat nyújt a 2014–2020-as költségvetési időszak vidékfejlesztési politikája számára, amely lehetővé teszi a téregységenként differenciált fejlesztési irányok és intézkedések alkalmazását.

Interpretation of rurality and the situation of land use in Hungary

The summarizing data collection of our study has been carried out in the scope of the FP7-REGPOT-2010-1 ’UD_AGR_REPO’ project as a part of the cooperation with the University of Lincoln. The University of Lincoln is an important partner of the project, the knowledge transfer activities that have been carried jointly with them are multilateral. One of the most important cooperation areas is the analysis of rural areas, rurality itself, determination of breakout points, exploration of alternative income sources, diversification possibilities. Some part of the work of the University of Lincoln on the field of rural development is based on the assessment and documentation global similarities and differences of rural areas. Present study also contributes to that work, it has been prepared on the request of the University of Lincoln with the aim of providing insight into the special political and economic changes/processes that took place in Hungary, and through them into the structure and operation of the unique Hungarian rural areas.
 The study first positions the definition of rurality and rural areas into context on the basis of official EU and Hungarian legal classification. Then it covers the important agricultural nature of Hungary, which significantly determines the possibilities and properties of Hungarian rural areas. The further description of rural areas is completed by some historical summary, the introduction of ownership changes, detailed description of employment and income conditions and finally by the listing of breakout points of rural areas as a conclusion.

Which attributes of culture can we measure? The case of Hungarian micro-regions

Assessing the economic role of culture and interpreting it in connection with regional and urban development are becoming important. This paper aims to reflect on the possible means of quantification regarding the attributes of culture. Given that the authors are compelled to restrict the scope of analysis to the certain segments of culture attempts are made at investigating the properties of culture using multivariate statistical methods (factor analysis, K-means clustering, correlation) in the case of Hungarian micro-regions. After typifying the Hungarian micro-regions the paper conclude that significant differences are observed regarding the micro-regions of West and South Transdanubia, Northern Hungary and the Great Plain but there are also considerable disparities between the urban and rural areas of Hungary. Finally, the paper highlights some critical issues concerning the results and argues for an appropriate cultural policy in Hungary.

Non parametric methods to assess the role of the CAP in regional convergence in Hungary

Using the stochastic kernel, we analyse the Hungarian convergence path before and after accession to the European Union (EU), within its NUTS 3 regions (counties), and between those of the eastern EU Member States. Then, we develop a convergence analysis of GDP per capita PPS (Purchasing Power Parity) conditioned to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds, in order to understand the role of the introduction of the CAP in the convergence of Hungarian rural areas. We fi nd increasing divergence both within Hungarian NUTS 3 regions and between the eastern EU MS NUTS 3 regions, especially after Hungary joined the EU; a limited contribution of the CAP to the catching up of rural areas; and persisting diffi culties of working with lacking rural disaggregated statistics.