Rural Parishes Research Articles

The diet of the human groups buried in a late- and post-Medieval rural parish cemetery in Libkovice (Czech Republic)

Libkovice is a village in the northwestern Czech Republic that was demolished at the end of the last century due to the expansion of a nearby mine. The former church cemetery has been a subject to bioarchaeological excavation and research, where some 850 burials from the 13th to the 19th Century have been discovered so far. With the application of stable isotope analysis, it has also been possible to uncover the dietary patterns of this exemplary rural Central European community, which was the aim of this study. The materials analysed here consist of samples from long bones of 56 burials and 18 animal bones discovered in Libkovice during the 2019/21 excavations. It has been employed stable carbon (δ13C) isotope analysis to determine the average contributions of foods derived from the C3 plants. Statistically significant differences were found between the analyzed fauna and human samples for nitrogen (F=47.4 p<0.05) and carbon (F=19.18 p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the analyzed animal and human samples between the specify centuries. When considering the ages of various human individuals, the results indicated statistically significant differences in nitrogen isotopes (F= 7.71 p<0.05) between children from the infants I group and older children together with adults from the Middle Ages, as well as between children from the infants I group and adults (F= 3.3, p<0.05) from the modern times. The proportion of food from C3 plants that made up the diets of the studied population was on average 89%, and the potential proportion of freshwater fish in the diet could be higher than 80%. The similarity between the chronologically diverse groups may indicate similar strategies for food acquisition. The results obtained for the population of Libkovice are very similar to the diets of the populations living in Central Europe broadly during the two periods.

Mapping socio-environmental pressures to assess Portuguese soil vulnerability

Soil degradation has concerning impacts on ecosystem functions and biodiversity, decreasing essential processes such as food production or sustaining water quality. We studied eight soil threats to assess degradation processes: hydrogeological risks, soil sealing, salinization, desertification, contamination, compaction, erosion and decline in soil organic matter. A knowledge-based methodology was used measure the importance of 15 anthropogenic and environmental variables, with top weights of water availability (0.11), rate of land use change (0.09) and agricultural practices (0.09). Variables were combined into one additive model per threat to assess its distribution in Portugal. Merged soil threat vulnerability maps provided a spatial representation of the distribution of aggregated soil vulnerability, to find a 58% of moderate vulnerable soils where multiple threats coexist and are key for future management changes, a 32% of low vulnerable soils with reduced levels of soil threats, where temperature and precipitation are the main drivers of soil degradation and a 10% of highly vulnerable soils, which encompasses populated urban areas and rural civil parishes, where contamination and high rates of land turnover are the main drivers. Our maps can be used to make informed decisions on soil management and establish strategic policies for a sustainable use of land.

What makes peripheral places matter? Applying the concept of political capital within a multiple capital framework

Present research focusses on how urbanization has led to ‘territorial inequality’ that marginalizes ‘places that don't matter’, understood as places neglected by politicians. In this strand of literature, rural areas are consequently singled out as belonging to the unfortunate group of ‘left behind places’ and ‘places that don't matter’. However, to what extent can this be supported empirically? Based on a Danish national survey we conducted 2011/2012, and applying the concept of political capital within a multiple capital framework, we attempt to answer three questions: Do rural areas per se have little political power and influence? What makes some rural areas have more political capital than others? Does local political capital influence the local development in rural areas? We measure political capital by asking respondents in 476 rural parishes to assess how much influence local citizens exert on political decisions that concern their own, local area. The results show a significant variation in political capital across the sample. Further, regression analyses show that the local stocks of five forms of capital (physical, economic, human, social, symbolic) are positively related to the level of local political capital. Finally, regression analyses show that the initial level of political capital in 2012 has a positive and long-term effect on rural population growth throughout the period 2012–2023, while controlling for various exogenous factors.

Challenges Facing Andean Communities in the Protection of the Páramo in the Central Highlands of Ecuador

In the rural parish of Salinas, located in the central highlands of Ecuador, most of the communities are settled in a páramo ecosystem, whose deterioration has become a concern since the beginning of the century. The scarcity of water that some communities have experienced has led to a reconsideration of economic activities, as part of a community process that began 50 years ago, which has currently allowed them to overcome extreme poverty. This research aims to analyze the socio-technical reconfiguration process these communities have undergone in their new role as conservationists that has simultaneously ensured their livelihoods. The methodology applied is a qualitative approach based on a discourse analysis. The results indicate a process of applying social technology to protect the páramo. The availability of economic resources, a new mentality and the exercise of authority are key starting elements for the latter, and through strengthened organizations, permanent reflection, creativity, and the search for sustainability, the primary objective can be reached: the protection of the páramo.

“[E]verything that is to be Made Whole Must First be Broken”: Religion, Metaphor and Narrative Alchemy in Hilary Mantel's Fludd (1989)

ABSTRACT Depicting the events initiated by a stranger’s arrival to a rural Catholic parish in 1950s England, Hilary Mantel’s (1989) novel Fludd is built upon fundamentally metaphoric foundations. Most noticeably, the novel’s articulation of alchemy captures the defining opposition of literal and fantastical meaning at the heart of alchemical symbols. It does so via a metaphorical construction that is first outlined in the opening paratextual “note” and which provides the novel’s narrative backbone. This article adopts a broadly cognitive approach to illustrate how metaphor fulfils multiple functions in the text, acting as a tool of characterisation, a means of narrative compression and a form of meta-textual referencing, all of which link to the novel’s central theme of transformation, particularly in the context of contemporary Catholicism. In so doing, it draws upon Biebuyck and Martens’ concept of the “paranarrative” to demonstrate metaphor’s potential to fulfil a range of fundamental narrative functions.

Formation and Development of the Barnaul Spiritual Government (BSG) Parish System in the Second Half of 18th — Early 19th Centuries

This article examines the issues of the parish’s system formation of the Barnaul Spiritual Government (BSG) in the second half of the 18th — early 19th centuries. The work is aimed at restoring the list of settlements (constituent parts of the BSG parishes), as well as at constructing parish boundaries using a GIS model and also analyzing the dynamics of the number and composition of settlements (constituent parts of parishes). It is concluded that there were several types of parishes in the BSG (formed in 1750): at factories (7), at mines (1), rural (13), at military fortifications (3), urban (6). Parishes at military fortifications appear among the very first, some of them were formed before the formation of the BSG. Factory parishes and communities at the mines were formed by the end of the 1760s. The chronology of the rural parish’s formation is the widest — starting from the first half of the 18 century and up to the 1780s. The process of the parish’s emergence was largely due to the policy of developing the metallurgical industry in the region, as well as active colonization.
 According to the data for 1755, there were 242 settlements in the BSG, for 1780 — 385, for 1800 — 619, for 1820 — 780, for 1829 — 545. The number of parishes was also not stable — the network was finally formed by 1787 in the number of 23 communities. Only in 1829 their composition was reduced to 16. At the initial stage of the BSG work, there were also parishes within the boundaries of only one locality. The record holders for the maximum number of objects were communities with centers in the villages of Chingis (99) and Beloyarsk (98).

Technical protocols of heritage preservation from risk and vulnerability analysis. The case of the vernacular architecture of Quingeo (Azuay, Ecuador)

The vernacular architecture of the rural Parish of Quingeo (Azuay, Ecuador), and therefore, the buildings of its parish downtown, are affected by globalization, neglect, and the scarcity of management and technical preservation tools led to their deterioration. This background motivates the analysis, identification, and prioritization of risks and vulnerabilities of this architecture, taking three priority cases of study; wall stratigraphy, the risk analysis matrix, and the principles of preventive preservation, as tools little applied in rural built heritage, but are very useful to understand the evolutionary process, and improve the protection and enhancement. The results obtained determine three types of specific protocols; 1) monitoring and control, 2) periodic maintenance, and 3) management. Such instruments are viable as a strategic axis for nearby territories, such as Quingeo.

Territorial Aspects of Parish System Formation in Barnaul Spiritual Government's Rural Parishes (the Second Half of the 18th — Early 19th Centuries)

This article examines the issues of the rural parish’s system formation of the Barnaul Spiritual Government (BSG) of the second half in the 18th — early 19th centuries. The work is aimed at studying the number and composition of settlements (constituent parts of parishes), the allocation of borders and the construction of parish territories.
 It is concluded that the network of the BSG rural parishes was formed by the end of the 1780s. According to the data for 1755, there were 157 villages in seven rural parishes (64.9% of the total number of BSG settlements). In 1820, with the maximum number of rural parishes (13) as well as the Spiritual Board as a whole (23), the figures increased to 536 (68.7%). By the end of the study period, after reducing the number of BSG rural parishes to seven, there were 316 settlements in their composition (58% of the total number of BSG settlements). Communities with the largest concentration of settlements stand out among rural parishes. These are, for example, such parishes with centers in the Beloyarskaya Sloboda and the Genghis village (numbering about 100 villages in their composition). Territorially small church units also existed in the BSG. The leading position in terms of the growth rate of the villages number was occupied by the Petropavlovsk parish of Genghis village: from 1755 to 1820 the indicators increased 9 times. Most of the BSG rural parishes were formed at the expense of the village population. The presence of settlements with the status of military fortifications was recorded by sources in two parishes. They belonged to the Kolyvan-Kuznetsk military line.

Traditional agricultural knowledge of banana, cocoa and sugar cane crops as a basis for the sustainable development of the rural parish Mariscal Sucre

The research aimed to demonstrate the impact of traditional agricultural knowledge on the sustainable development of banana, cocoa and sugar cane crops in the rural parish of Mariscal Sucre. For this, it was necessary to investigate and adopt a methodology that would estimate the degree of sustainability of the productive systems, identify how it is related to the applied practices and propose an agro-ecological management strategy for these crops. The evaluation was carried out using the MESMIS method but modified through a 30-item form applied to 61 farmers, which collected information to diagnose the incidence of agro-ecological practices and the degree of sustainability of crops. The results were processed in Excel and SPSS and presented with tables and graphs. The agricultural systems showed poor performance, falling into the category of agro-ecological unsustainability. At the same time, the most frequent customary practices consisted of the application of Mulch, and knowledge about protective and antagonistic crops. Consequently, it was determined that there is a moderately positive correlation between agro-ecological practices and sustainability with a Spearman's Rho coefficient of 0.48; therefore, the management proposal was aimed at reinforcing the productive component with agro-ecological practices. In conclusion, the customary practices contributed to the parish's sustainable development. Therefore, it is advisable to give technical training on the implementation of integrated farms and carry out campaigns to rescue traditional agricultural knowledge. Keywords: Agroecology, customary practices, sustainability assessment, agro-ecological management.

Water Sowing and harvesting application for water management on the slopes of a volcano

The present study aims to elaborate a hydrogeological characterisation in the Water Sowing and Harvesting context. The study is focused on rural parishes in the Ecuadorian Andes that, despite their proximity to snow sources (Chimborazo glaciers), need more supply of this resource, to satisfy the demand of a population of 70,466 inhabitants. The study is based on hydrology and geomorphological analysis, a geophysical exploration, and a definition of water management strategies. The application of non-destructive geophysical methods and Geographic Information Systems support the hydrogeological study and the proposal of strategies for sustainable water management on the slopes of the Chimborazo volcano. An aquifer potential was identified (sand, gravel and fractured porphyritic andesites) with resistivity values between 51.3 and 157 Ω m at an approximate depth of 30 m from the geophysical characterisation addressed. This potential saturated zone is on the southern slope of the Chimborazo volcano within the hydrographic watershed, with favourable drainage networks for water accumulation. The aquifer shows a high-water saturation level but uncontrolled losses. As a consequence of these characteristics, alternatives for managing water resources are proposed, such as wells construction, using Water Sowing and Harvesting system methods (“camellones”) based on Nature-Based Solutions, dam construction and environmental education. The different proposals are associated with the four sustainability axes of Brundtland (economic, social, environmental and cultural axis) and contribute to the sixth objective of the Sustainable Development Goal 2030 Agenda.

Visitationsprotokolle im Kontext frühneuzeitlicher Konfessionalisierungsprozesse

This article discusses the protocol that was compiled during the canonical visitation conducted in rural parishes in the diocese of Vienna in the year 1582. The protocol is kept in the Archives of the Diocese of Vienna (DAW, Wiener Protokolle [WP] 7, 1581– 1587, fol. 295r–298r and 343r–364r) and consists of the actual visitation records as well as preliminary and final records. The source text is read in the context of church policy measures which, since the Council of Trent, were gradually implemented within the Habsburg monarchy from the end of the 16th century onwards, ultimately leading to the formation of the Confessional state in Austria during the 17th century. The object of this contribution is to contextualise the protocol within this process of Catholic Confessionalisation in the diocese of Vienna and, furthermore, to highlight the special source value of this textual genre for the research on the Early Modern period.

Defining marginality in the periurban areas of Quito

In Latin America, marginality is a complex phenomenon involving various geographically significant factors, including the critical, physical, social, and human aspects. Bouldering areas of cities are often excluded from infrastructural interventions and social policies. In the case of Andean countries such as Ecuador, marginality affects not only rural lands but also in-transition areas between different geographical regions, as in the case of mountainous and coastal zones. These regions are characterized by a wide range of natural resources and climate conditions, and because of their diversity and relative proximity to the major cities, they offer potential for sustainable development. Nonetheless, the lack of infrastructure affects the accessibility of these periurban areas and critically limits their interaction. Drawing on these elements, the paper seeks to investigate whether periurban areas can be considered marginal and what tools can depict an encompassing image of local marginality, stressing its advantages for the local community. Following this idea, the paper focuses on the case of Lloa, a large rural parish in the Metropolitan District of Quito (DMQ), to determine which criteria can better capture its marginality, considering it as a periurban in-transition area. The paper suggests a cross-discipline methodology to push the limits of the field through the review of a significant body of literature and a thorough qualitative and quantitative analysis of the case study. Finally, the paper emphasizes the inadequacy of the current forms of planning to effectively define the marginality of periurban areas as a whole in the region by reflecting on the case study and through an analysis of the existing land use plans.

Traditional agricultural knowledge of banana, cocoa and sugar cane crops as a basis for the sustainable development of the rural parish Mariscal Sucre

The research aimed to demonstrate the impact of traditional agricultural knowledge on the sustainable development of banana, cocoa and sugar cane crops in the rural parish of Mariscal Sucre. For this, it was necessary to investigate and adopt a methodology that would estimate the degree of sustainability of the productive systems, identify how it is related to the applied practices and propose an agro-ecological management strategy for these crops. The evaluation was carried out using the MESMIS method but modified through a 30-item form applied to 61 farmers, which collected information to diagnose the incidence of agro-ecological practices and the degree of sustainability of crops. The results were processed in Excel and SPSS and presented with tables and graphs. The agricultural systems showed poor performance, falling into the category of agro-ecological unsustainability. At the same time, the most frequent customary practices consisted of the application of Mulch, and knowledge about protective and antagonistic crops. Consequently, it was determined that there is a moderately positive correlation between agro-ecological practices and sustainability with a Spearman's Rho coefficient of 0.48; therefore, the management proposal was aimed at reinforcing the productive component with agro-ecological practices. In conclusion, the customary practices contributed to the parish's sustainable development. Therefore, it is advisable to give technical training on the implementation of integrated farms and carry out campaigns to rescue traditional agricultural knowledge.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural survivors of intimate partner violence.

Our objective was to understand experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) by survivors living through the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural area. Structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of IPV survivors, 93% of whom identified as women, living in a rural parish (county) in Louisiana (n = 41). Interviews included COVID-19-related stressors (e.g., rent stress due to the pandemic) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5) and resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10) validated scales. Data were analyzed using independent t tests to determine differences across race with respect to PTSD and resilience and logistic regression to predict group membership in the probable PTSD group. Results indicate 72.5% and 56.2% of rural IPV survivors interviewed reported experiencing rent/mortgage stress and nutritional stress, respectively, due to the pandemic. No statistically significant differences by race for probable PTSD or resilience were found. Rent or mortgage stress due to COVID-19 was a significant predictor of probable PTSD in the regression model. Findings suggest the possibility that IPV concerns may exacerbate pandemic-related concerns, which in turn exacerbates health functioning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Social inequalities in famine mortality in the manorial system of the tsarist Russian province of Livland in the mid‐1840s

AbstractBy relying on longitudinal data on two rural parishes in the Russian Baltic province of Livland, the article analyses two questions concerning famine's short‐run effects on mortality in a manorial system: (1) whether there is evidence of a social gradient in mortality during the famine of 1844–6 and (2) whether the manors could protect the peasants against the hardships. The analysis reveals that neither the status of a farmer peasant nor the landlord saved the local inhabitants from an increased risk of dying during the famine of 1844–6. The conventional assumptions about the protective effect of the higher socio‐economic status or type of manor against subsistence crisis found very little support in the study.

Assessing and Understanding Arsenic Contamination in Agricultural Soils and Lake Sediments from Papallacta Rural Parish, Northeastern Ecuador, via Ecotoxicology Factors, for Environmental Embasement

The concentration of arsenic (As), considered a toxic and carcinogenic metalloid, in agricultural soils has become a global challenge. Sources of arsenic in soils can be both anthropogenic and natural. Contaminated water is used for the irrigation of crops and vegetables, and therefore it is the main pathway for arsenic to enter the human food chain, creating a potential health risk. This study evaluated the concentrations of arsenic in agricultural soils in the rural parish of Papallacta, located 67 km east of the city of Quito, Northeastern Ecuador, and constitutes an analysis of the problem of arsenic in agricultural soils. Shallow groundwater and geothermal water discharges laced with arsenic are frequently used for irrigation and have raised the level of arsenic in agricultural soils. This work is focused on evaluating the environmental quality and contamination of agricultural soils through environmental quality indices such as geo-accumulation index, enrichment, and contamination factor. The average arsenic levels in the agricultural soils of the four studied areas fluctuate between 20.4 and 43.0 mg kg−1, while in the sediments of the Papallacta Lake, higher values were found in the range between 16.8 and 102.4 mg kg−1; all of which exceed the permissible limit by the Ecuadorian Environmental Legislation for agricultural use (12 mg kg−1). The results of the study in the five studied sites of the Papallacta civil parish indicate low to moderate levels of arsenic enrichment, soils enriched by bedrock, and moderate to considerable contamination.

The Financing of Ministerial Stipends in the Established Church of Scotland: the Rural Parish

This paper describes and analyses the remuneration arrangements of Church of Scotland ministers serving rural parishes between 1815 and 1974. It constructs and deploys a new longitudinal and cross-sectional dataset, materially more extensive in range and scope than those previously developed, calibrating the absolute and relative level of stipend throughout the period. It offers a preliminary analysis of the economic consequences for ministers and the established Church of the process of fixing, or standardising, stipends in money terms from 1925 onwards, highlighting how this undermined the financial foundations of the Church's principal means of stipendiary funding.

Health and Nutrition Analysis in Older Adults in San José de Minas Rural Parish in Quito, Ecuador.

Knowing the health and nutritional status of older adults is crucial to helping them live healthier lives and limiting the need for pharmaceuticals and complicated medical procedures. The objective of this research was to analyze the eating habits (EH), physical activity (PA), and sleep quality (SQ) of older adults in the rural parish of San José de Minas in Quito, Ecuador. Three validated questionnaires were used: the Pittsburgh PSQI for SQ, IPAQ for PA, and frequency of consumption for EH. The results revealed high consumption of refined flours and sugar (70% at least once a day), low intake of whole grains, fish, and olive oil, and considerable consumption of fruits and water. Fifty percent of respondents engage in moderate physical activity and 24% in low physical activity, while 90% of older adults have poor sleep quality. These results indicate a problem in the integral health of the population that does not allow older adults to have a good old age. Health campaigns should be developed to increase physical activity, encourage a better diet, and thus, improve the quality of sleep.

Towards Rural Resilience: Assessing Future Spatial Urban Expansion and Population Growth in Quito as a Measure of Resilience

The urban and rural areas of the Metropolitan District of Quito (DMQ) have experienced an aggressive urbanization process in the last two decades, which in many cases has changed the most appropriate land use as determined by the local government. This problem is exacerbated by poor land use planning in a city that is growing in an uncontrolled and disorderly manner toward rural areas, as well as by the accelerated growth of rural localities. This article contributes and analyzes: (1) the geographic projections of the next 50 years for urban settlements and buildings in the rural areas of the DMQ using geographic artificial intelligence techniques (cellular automata); (2) a composite index of resilience (CIR) is constructed for each rural parish of the DMQ, adapted to the characteristics and conditions of the territory for which five dimensions with equal weights, the ecological footprint, and the size of each parish were considered; finally, (3) the change in CIR is determined based on the projections of spatial urban expansion and population growth for the next 50 years. According to the results, urbanization definitely has a negative impact on CIR, although it was found that in parishes with declining population growth CIR increases.

Risk management in rural development and land use planning: the case of San Lorenzo, Esmeraldas – Ecuador

The present investigation was carried out with the objective of evaluating the risk management strategies established by the decentralized autonomous parish governments, through the development and territorial planning plans, considering the objectives of sustainable development. For this case, nine rural parishes in the canton of San Lorenzo, Esmeraldas, Ecuador were taken as the territorial scope of the analysis. A review of the Ecuadorian legislation that regulates rural territorial planning was carried out, as well as interviews with key actors of the communities located in the parish capitals, to evaluate their knowledge of strategies, programs and projects focused on disaster risk management and citizen contribution in the construction of development plans and land use planning. One of the findings found in this study is that the participation of the community in the construction of development plans and land use planning is very low, since only 32.22% of them state that they have contributed to the development of these tools of planning of the parochial decentralized autonomous governments.