Rural Society Research Articles

Re-orientating agricultural research to address complex challenges: Legitimacy dynamics of a hybrid research organisation

Agricultural research organisations play a critical role in the agri-food system; not only through the provision of research and technologies, but also by brokering relationships with stakeholders throughout the research process to create impact. Yet over the past decade, as the focus has shifted towards such multi-actor innovation processes, the role and legitimacy of the agricultural research organisations world-wide has been challenged. Occupying an intermediary position in agricultural innovation systems means that agricultural research institute legitimacy is constantly under pressure from the rural community, academics, policy makers, industry, and general society as the institute attempts to be all things to all people. Here we present the outcomes of an organisational change programme within an applied agricultural research organisation, in response to a government-led agenda to increase impact for research users. By using institutional theory of hybrid organisation legitimacy, we shed light on the multiple institutional logics that co-exist within an agricultural research institute, and how these align with the external institutional environment. We show that with the introduction of a new multi-actor innovation logic, attempts were made to legitimise, externally and internally, knowledge co-production. Yet agricultural research organisations, and those who work within them, need dedicated time for learning and reflecting on the values, beliefs, and practices of the different actors in the innovation system, otherwise they only selectively adopt practices that maintain existing institutional logics. The main theoretical implications show how that change towards an impact culture is influenced by the existing logics, and how organisational legitimacy provides a framing for understanding the success (or otherwise) of introducing new modes of innovation in hybrid research organisations. Practically, space and resourcing are needed to experiment with new logics and deliberate strategies are required to increase the repertoire of research roles while maintaining internal and external legitimacy. The practical implications demonstrate the barriers and opportunities of re-orientating hybrid agricultural research institutes, agricultural innovation systems, and the roles of the researchers that work in them, to deliver to the complex societal challenges facing the agri-food sector.

A qualitative study on perceptions and practices of diabetes prevention and management in rural south India

Abstract Aims: The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions and practices of diabetes management through focus group discussions (FGDs) among adults with diabetes in rural Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted among individuals with diabetes who were part of the Telemedicine pRoject for screENing Diabetes and its complications in rural Tamil Nadu (TREND). A total of 16 FGDs were conducted using a semi-structured FGD guide that elicited perceptions of the different aspects of diabetes management and knowledge about diabetes prevention. The sample size was based on the attainment of thematic saturation. All FGDs were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The textual data was then coded into meaning units and grouped into themes. Data were analyzed using NVIVO software version 10.0. Results: There were varied responses with respect to diet, medication adherence, regularity of follow-up, knowledge about diabetes, and diabetes prevention. Most participants had limited knowledge of the disease and did not have regular hospital visits. Several participants were unable to adhere to the diet prescribed by healthcare providers, as they lived alone or were dependent on someone in the family for dietary needs. Most participants were unaware that diabetes could be prevented. Some participants were interested in serving as “Diabetes ambassadors” to educate rural societies about diabetes. Conclusions: Understanding the perceptions and practices about diabetes management and prevention strategies could help primary healthcare workers effectively treat, manage, and prevent diabetes in underserved rural populations.

Rural Area Infrastructural Challenges and the Role of Architecture in Urban-Rural Development in Nigeria

Urban and rural areas are diametrically opposed but related phenomena. It is often difficult to ascertain where the rural areas end and where the city begins; because in city’s growth process, the surrounding countryside is absorbed. Part of it disappears forever, but many of its elements are preserved, fitting into the urban environment with marked differences of infrastructure facilities. These Community infrastructures are the framework of physical facilities needed to support and sustain inhabitants to live and work. However, rural societies suffer neglect. Many elderly people retire and return to rural areas for the comfort, slow and communal lifestyle it offers. Yet, as the world advances at a rapid pace, rural areas and people are left behind. Employing a qualitative literature review, the study delves into the current state of rural infrastructure development in Nigeria, and review various programmes implemented by the government in years past. The findings reveal three phases of rural infrastructural development. It highlights the issues and challenges stemming from the neglect of rural infrastructural needs, and the role of architecture in facilitating urban-rural development. It concludes that focus must be turned to rural areas with architects playing significant role in advancing the quality of rural life.
 Keywords: Infrastructure facilities, Rural development, Architecture, Environment, Urban-rural.

«REGULATION ON FOREST PRESERVATION» AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN KAZAN GOVERNORATE IN THE LATE XIX – EARLY XX CENTURY

At the end of the XIX – the beginning of the XX century the development of forestry in Russia, including Kazan governorate, was to a certain extent determined by the state policy in this area and forest legislation then in force.
 
 The purpose of the study is to characterize the content of the “Regulations on Forest Preservation” dated 1888 and to analyze its implementation in the territory of Kazan governorate.
 
 Materials and methods. The work carried out is mainly based on the analysis of previously unknown archival documents extracted from the fund of Kazan Governorate Forest Protection Committee of the State Archive of the Republic of Tatarstan and the fund of the Forest Department of the Russian State Historical Archive. Materials from published sources and scientific literature on forestry issues were also used. The research is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity and consistency.
 
 Study results. The “Regulation” paid the main attention to proper management of the economy in protective and water-conserving forests. They were subject to mandatory saving from exhaustion and extermination. At the beginning of the XX century there were more than 200 such protective forest estates in Kazan governorate. Direct control over the forest resources conservation in the governorate was conducted by Kazan Forest Protection Committee, which was assisted by the ranks of the state forest administration, forest guards, police and other institutions. The number of forest estates subject to the forest protection law in Kazan province increased significantly over time. This was accompanied by the establishment of state control, primarily over the forests of private individuals and peasant rural societies, clear regulation of the volume and order of forest use, reforestation and other fundamental aspects of forestry. Gradually, the effect of the “Regulation” spread to almost the entire forest area of the governorate, regardless of the category of forest owners.
 
 Conclusions. In general, implementation of the “Regulation on Forest Preservation” had, undoubtedly, a positive impact on the condition and development of forest protection legislation and Russia’s forest industry, including Kazan governorate of the period under review.

The Social Backgrounds, Dharma Lineages, and Achievements of Women Chan Masters, 1572–1722

This article continues the investigation of my previous paper ‘Wan Ming Qing chu dongnan yanhai gangkou Fosi de biqiuni shenying’ 晚明清初東南沿海港口佛寺的比丘尼身影 (‘The Historic Image of the Bhikkhuni Who Lived at Buddhist Monasteries of Seaport Cities of Southeast China during the Late Ming and Early Qing Period’). While discussing the space of port city Buddhist monasteries and their urban environment, and how they aided or hindered the bhikkhuni monastic community, or individual bhikkhuni in their practice, life, and personal achievements, I also realized that a bhikkhuni’s family background and her connections with local gentry and eminent persons indeed contributed to the rise of her prestige. The publication and distribution of the recorded sayings of several women Chan monastics residing in the Buddhist monasteries of port cities during the late Ming and early Qing periods can be regarded as a commendable breakthrough in the Buddhist history of this period. To further clarify the resource structure that helped support these Chan bhikkhuni, including the multifaceted interplay between their blood ties, dharma connections, and regional connections, I aim here to particularly examine the backgrounds, dharma lineages, activity regions, and ultimate achievements of these women Chan monastics. I will consider how it is that these Chan bhikkhuni were able to use such resources to achieve the distinction of having their deeds recorded, while so many more of their fellow bhikkhuni have been forgotten. While in real life, there were a rather large number of bhikkhuni, only a few have been able to have their names passed down to posterity. Women have always faced greater challenges than men in having their voices known and receiving social recognition, and even for men, this has never been easy without a relevant support system—one’s own personal cultivation, the prestige of one’s family, the power of one’s dharma lineage, the strength of one’s personal connection, the disparity in the resources that one has access to in their urban or rural society, etc.; all these various factors affect one’s achievements and performance. Especially in Chan Buddhist texts, where women are greatly underrepresented, I aim to explore in this paper how a women Chan monastic could be included in the Chan historical record, have her recorded sayings published, and have a place in Buddhism or the dharma lineages of Chan.

Aligning Agri-food Business with Sustainable Development and Quality of Life in Rural Areas: Stakeholders' Perspectives from Greece

The present study examined how the agri-food enterprises in Greece affect the socio-economic life of rural areas and contribute to ensuring food security. It sought the extent of their contribution to the revitalization of the local community and residents’ quality of life. Furthermore, it focused on the policy measures needed to ensure that their operation protects the environment and reduces their environmental footprint. Additionally, this research explored agri-food enterprises’ impact in addressing the problems of rural societies in the context of their social responsibility. Qualitative research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with twelve central government and local self-administrative executives who formulate policies that shape or influence the agri-food sector and agri-food enterprises The study revealed that agri-food businesses play a major role in the rural economy. At the same time, they are a key factor in linking sustainable development to the well-being of citizens. It was also highlighted that agri-food enterprises in Greece continue to leave a large negative environmental footprint and therefore a change in the framework of existing policies is needed to make the latter effective. In this regard, measures are needed to support agri-food enterprises with certain financial instruments in order to enhance the reduction of their environmental footprint. Finally, the research indicated the need for further strengthening of agri-food enterprises' social responsibility toward rural residents. The contribution of this research has both theoretical and empirical value. It responds to the recent calls for greater investigation of agri-food enterprises and their contributions to sustainable development and rural residents’ quality of life as well. In this respect, the present primary study adds evidence to the international literature regarding the role of agri-food enterprises in the socio-economic life of rural areas by shedding light on various aspects while the findings can be used by the institutions (European, state, and local authorities) that are responsible for policy-making in the agri-food sector and agri-food enterprises respectively. Moreover, the findings can also be a valuable tool for the business world of agri-food entrepreneurship.

Activities of local government units in the popularization and promotion of a healthy lifestyle among an aging rural society – the case of Poland

Activities of local government units in the popularization and promotion of a healthy lifestyle among an aging rural society – the case of Poland

“There Should Be No Life”: Environmental Perspectives on Genocide in Northern Iraq

ABSTRACT This article examines the natural environment during the Kurdish genocide in northern Iraq. The genocide killed between 50,000 and 180,000 people and destroyed some 4,500 Kurdish villages from the 1960s to 1980s, reach peak violence during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88). The paper uses American, British, and Iraqi archival documents to analyse how the violence affected the natural landscape and how ecological conditions constrained the violence. Iraqi leaders regarded dams and other modes of environmental engineering as levers to facilitate agricultural modernization and social integration. Protecting and projecting hydraulic power justified greater military exertion. Iraqi leaders, frustrated by the lack of progress in development and hostile to the claims of Kurdish nationalism, resorted to more coercive options to combat guerrillas. But the inadequacies of military exertion prompted the government to redouble efforts to tame unruly nature and those who dwelled in it. This escalation contributed significantly to the lethal violence against rural Kurdish society. At a theoretical level, these findings highlight the troubling ways in which policies aimed to improve environmental conditions fold into campaigns of mass violence. The article also adds to understanding of violence in Iraq, showing how Iraq’s attempts to use environmental engineering for development intersected with security concerns and ethnic marginalization to create more intensive repression.

Public education and professionalisation of Italian Agriculture (1861–1914)

Abstract This paper analyses the formation in Italy of a school system focused on the training of technical and managerial personnel in the agricultural sector. Drawing on a rich literature on the relationship between school training, social change, and economic modernisation, this study details an under-researched aspect of the formation of the national state. Italy constitutes an exemplary case study as for the reforming action of public institutions in the field of education as well as the modernising policies that concerned the rural sector of the country before the First World War. Schools of agriculture in Italy became a means of social advancement not only for a wide sector of rural society but also for the children of the artisan and commercial bourgeoisie of small urban centres. This study thereby makes a novel contribution to the ongoing debate on the development of agriculture-related professions in Italy between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

“We are shepherds, but not sheep”: farmer protest and rural identity in Bulgaria

ABSTRACT Rural society in Bulgaria has seen considerable upheaval over the past century, moving from a position of political significance, rural actors were subsequently subordinated under the communist regime (1946–1989). The post-socialist period saw further turmoil as land restitution, privatisation, and depopulation reshaped rural communities, leading to increased marginalisation. Facing uncertain futures, rural producers have engaged in a range of actions to challenge and resist threats to their material interests and rural way of life. This article draws on a dataset of protest events in the media by rural producers over the 2000–2019 period to understand how and why they protested. In doing so, it considers how the claims presented can be seen to reflect efforts to protect rural communities in a time of change. The findings suggest that material interests serve as the key mobilising force, but that these rest on a sense of collective identity around the importance of rural society to support their claims.

Facing discordant records and cultural hegemony in archaeological studies: an approach from Galician rural funerary epigraphy (1850–1940)

SUMMARYThe following paper explores the funerary epigraphy of contemporary Galician rural societies to contextualise it within social, historical, and linguistic dynamics. This hypothesis suggests an apparently contradictory record, with diverse primary sources offering apparently conflicting versions of the same process: while funerary memorials show an absolute predominance of Castilian as the vehicular language, sociolinguistic and historical studies suggest an absolute predominance of Galician. Considering these contextual discordances, different questions arise: how are these ambiguous contexts generated? Is it a methodological problem or are they real representations of ambivalent social dynamics? How can we identify them and in what kind of social processes? Accordingly, this work develops a twofold approach: firstly, an analytical methodology that collects relevant data from epigraphic evidence is provided, aiming to expose the funerary record and identify possible contextual ambiguities in relation to other available sources. All analytical procedures will be described, and the results obtained will be presented. Moreover, a broad historical and sociolinguistic perspective is presented, with the aim of contextualising what dynamics define and explain this apparently contradictory phenomenon. Secondly, a discussion about the problems of these discordances, their relationship with the discourses of power, and their analysis from the material register has been considered. Different theoretical and methodological approaches are explored to study these ambiguous records, considering their role in different power relations. The main objective is to reflect on how we approach ambiguous records in order to provide terminological tools to understand material and social contexts entangled in power dynamics.

Rush Farming of Konjac (Amorphophallus Muelleri) Among Novice Farmers in Ciamis Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia: a Descriptive Study

Rush farming among novice farmers because of incomplete information on konjac crop management needs further investigation. Nonetheless, the rush in West Java province has positively impacted farmers and rural economic improvement. This study is intended to identify the factors responsible for the farming of konjac, its implications, and the necessary response. The survey was conducted in Jelegong, Ciamis district, West Java province, using the triangulation method to interview 37 farmers. The finding was that rush farming was triggered by the misinterpretation of incomplete information on cultivation technology and the inaccurate projection of market demand due to excessive forecasting of profits. This rush is probably a phenomenon that is supposed to be maintained carefully because such farming still provides additional income and does not require specific skills. The rush also successfully attracted the interest of new investors to be involved in konjac business and government attention in distributing various incentives. Despite the rush stimulating economic growth in the village, it threatens the supply of other agricultural commodities because konjac has replaced other crops on the same land. This research also found that there are two types of konjac farming in rural society i.e., (i) cultivating konjac without shade is better suited to smallholder farmers with less capital and less maintenance. (ii) Cultivating konjac in the shade is better suited to rich farmers or industries requiring intensive maintenance. Therefore, we suggest that the government issue a map about the site suitability of various crops for the West Java region, allowing farmers to seek advice on the appropriate crop types to grow by region. To meet future demand, it is necessary to combine traditional knowledge mainly on collecting corms (ngabolang) and planting methods with scientific knowledge.

Future Dietary Transformation and Its Impacts on the Environment in China

Meeting China’s future food consumption needs without increasing the environmental burden is one of the largest sustainability challenges in the ensuing decades. China is a typical urban–rural binary society, and there is a certain gap in the diets of urban and rural residents. With the advancement of urbanization, the future trend of Chinese urban and rural residents’ diets and its impact on the environment is a topic worth exploring. This study intends to examine the future changes in dietary intake of urban and rural residents in China as well as their impact on carbon emissions, virtual water, and arable land. These results indicate that the trend of decreasing grain consumption and increasing animal food consumption in China over the next 30 years will continue. However, the gap in per capita consumption of ruminant meat, aquatic products, and eggs between urban and rural residents will not be narrowed in the future. The combination of structural demand trends and population urbanization will likely impose stress on domestic food supplies over the long term. In addition, the burden of the dietary environment in China will further increase in the future, especially in urban areas, but rural areas will significantly decrease with a decrease in population size. In theory, if three alternative dietary scenarios are adopted, the environmental impact of Chinese residents’ diets can be significantly reduced in the future. More specifically, the demand gap for carbon emissions, virtual water, and arable land for urban residents’ diets in the future will exhibit heterogeneity under three alternative dietary scenarios. To achieve the long-term goals of ensuring food safety and sustainable environmental development in China in the future, it is necessary to take multiple measures, such as consuming a reasonable and balanced diet, reducing food waste, increasing agricultural technology investment, and increasing the import of resource-intensive food.

The Post-Socialist Socio-Spatial Transformation in Tirana, Albania

The overwhelming majority of Albania’s urban population is located in Tirana, a city with a very dynamic socio-spatial reality, resulting as an entry point for people from various origins, including multicultural rural societies, and has significant concentrations of finance and other economic activities. Urban areas demonstrate the dynamics that impact society from many angles, including those related to technology, economics, demographics, and culture, via a diverse and changed perspective. Since 1991, there has been a growing separation between classes, genders, and regions, as well as between individuals and vulnerable groups, due to a lack of social protection and governmental measures for these groups and individuals, and the unrestricted power of the free market. Today, there is a noticeable improvement in the real pattern of social group concentration. This paper focuses on various divisions of social groupings in Tirana, how they are reflected in the city’s everyday life, and how they trend to the fragmentation of contemporary urban regions. In order to comprehend the change over time and transition patterns of Tirana from sites of production to places of consumption, the process method is modified by concentrating on the main stakeholders. The background of enhancing cities’ mobility and competitiveness demonstrates the interaction between different social groups and different living patterns in Tirana. The study also shows the socio-spatial pattern of the new city. The significant level of social fragmentation in Tirana is evident from analysis that only investigated a certain percentage of the city’s social groupings. The new master plans predicted in the city will help to overcome the issue.

Overage labor, intergenerational financial support, and depression among older rural residents: evidence from China.

Depression is a major factor affecting the happiness of older rural residents. With the increasing aging of the Chinese population, overage labor is becoming more prevalent in rural areas of China. This study aimed to assess whether, and if so, how, overage labor affects depression status in older rural residents. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this study explored the association between overage labor and depression among older rural residents by using ordinary least squares and moderated mediation models. The results show that overage labor significantly reduced levels of depression in older rural residents. This result remained robust after using propensity score matching and double machine learning. Furthermore, the improvement of older rural residents' depression via overage labor is mainly achieved through work income, but this mediating effect is negatively moderated by intergenerational financial support. This implies that in traditional Chinese rural society, intergenerational financial support from children plays an important role in reducing depression among older rural residents. Our findings have potential policy implications for China and other developing countries in terms of addressing issues related to aging and depression in older adults.

Социодинамика мира сельских сообществ российской деревни

Based on many years of sociological research, the article analyzes the sociodynamics of the state of a number of characteristics of rural communities world: consciousness, behavior, values, and objective prerequisites for changes. The world of rural communities consists of reflection and action in public and private life, based on the historical experience. The sociodynamics of socio-cultural processes is revealed in the context of the influence of economic practices that combine borrowed innovations and traditions of peasant culture. The organization of agricultural production, at the first stage based on Western models, turned out to be largely untenable, since business entities approached it from the standpoint of traditionally peasant and post-Soviet culture. Confidence in one’s own culture will remain a domain of rural residents in the future. The world of rural society in Russia is permeated with the meanings of interaction and cohesion, logically connected with the ethos of life “in the world”, which are genetically inherent in the peasantry, and survived in the post-reform period on the basis of the socio-economic activity of the most creative part of the inhabitants, and so far poorly manifested in the formalized socio-economic space of the agro-industrial complex.

Who Deserves Credit? Banks for the Virtuous in Rural China

ABSTRACT While cities piloting China’s Social Credit System attract attention, rural areas in China are experimenting with reputation-based credit systems called ‘banks of virtue’. These local institutions unlock cheap loans and other benefits for citizens who prove virtuous character. Based on empirical data, this article investigates how banks of virtue combine techniques of metrics known from capitalist credit systems with an inherently localized and personal evaluation procedure. As hybrid forms of organizing access to credit, this article argues, banks of virtue offer an alternative, rural answer to the ‘right to credit’ that emerged in debates concerning capitalist economies. While they combine multiple goals of the national rural revitalization and Social Credit System strategies, such as the creation of a ‘civilized’ rural society and the allocation of credit to small businesses and households, their reliance on citizen participation casts doubts over their capacity to achieve these goals.

The Rural Shift Towards a Learning Society: A Study on the Transformation

Based on the current national strategy of rural revitalization and the reality of rural areas, this paper presents a preliminary exploration of the transformation towards a learning society in rural areas. It points out that contemporary rural society has the characteristics of interactivity. The agricultural transformation in rural China, as well as the innovation and development of the secondary and tertiary industries, the exploration of cultural values in rural areas, and the participation of diverse stakeholders are all new opportunities for the construction of a rural learning society under the background of urban-rural integration.

A Study On Japanese Mingei’s Birth In Taisho Era And Alienation In Showa Era

Yanagi Sōetsu put forward the word "Mingei (Folk Craft)" in 1925 and jointly published the "Purport Book on the Establishment of Japan Mingei Museum" with Tomimoto Kenkichi, Kawai Kanjiro, and Hamada Shoji the following year, so as to launch Japan’s "Mingei movement". Some scholars have noticed that during World War II, Mingei was related to "life culture" with fascist ideology, and there was a historical phenomenon that Mingei served politics. This paper attempts to interpret the first-hand texts of Yanagi Sōetsu, Kunio Kishida, and Kiyoshi Miki, discuss how Mingei with a "healthy" original intention came into being, and how it gradually became a tool for Japanese fascist aggression and expansion. Mingei originated in the period of "Taisho Democracy," with a strong left-wing flavor in Japanese history. It contains a beautiful vision of making society "healthy". It has gained influence with the support of elites, and the Mingei movement has progressed well in rural and urban society. Later, Mingei gradually attracted the attention of the Showa fascist government and was absorbed by the concept of "life culture" advocated by the new system in 1940, which was alienated and became a tool for the mobilization of the Japanese fascist war.

Rush Farming of Konjac (Amorphophallus Muelleri) Among Novice Farmers In West Java, Indonesia: A Descriptive Study

Rush farming among novice farmers because of incomplete information on konjac crop management needs further investigation. Nonetheless, the rush in West Java province has positively impacted farmers and rural economic improvement. This study is intended to identify the factors responsible for the farming of konjac, its implications, and the necessary response. The survey was conducted in Jelegong, Ciamis district, West Java province, using the triangulation method to interview 37 farmers. The finding is that rush farming was triggered by the misinterpretation of incomplete information on farming technology and the inaccurate projection of market demand due to excessive forecasting of profits. This rush is probably a phenomenon that is supposed to be maintained carefully because such farming still provides additional income and does not require specific skills. The rush also successfully attracted the interest of new investors and government attention in distributing various incentives. Despite the rush stimulating economic growth in the village, it threatens the supply of other commodities because konjac has replaced other crops on the same land. This research also found that there are two types of konjac farming in rural society, i.e., (i) cultivating konjac without shade is better suited to smallholder farmers with less capital and less maintenance. (ii) cultivating konjac in the shade is better suited to rich farmers or industries requiring intensive maintenance. Therefore, we suggest that the government issue a map about the site suitability of various crops for the West Java region, allowing farmers to seek advice on the appropriate crop types to grow by region. Because the agro-climatic conditions in most areas of West Java are like those in the Ciamis district, the cultural patterns found in this study can be scaled up to other districts in West Java.