Rural Society Research Articles

The Relevance of Agrarian Reform to the Sustainable Development Goals: Analysis of Community Land Empowerment for Food Sufficiency and Gender Equality through the Fishbone Diagram Method

Abstract: This study aims to examine the state of food sufficiency and gender equality in Purwabakti Village and the relevance of community land empowerment programs in achieving food sufficiency and gender equality. The research follows a qualitative case study approach, collecting data through interviews, observations, and document analysis. Data were analyzed qualitatively using the fishbone diagram method, focusing on four primary variables: human resources, machinery, methods, and materials. Data on malnutrition and stunting indicate that issues of food vulnerability compromise food sufficiency in Purwabakti Village. Furthermore, gender equality remains a challenge within this predominantly patriarchal society. Women tend to fulfill traditional gender roles with domestic responsibilities, while men assume public roles. This patriarchal rural society generally accepts the predominant land ownership by men (as heads of households), reflecting gender inequality. The fishbone diagram analysis indicates that, despite some progress, community land empowerment programs still exhibit limitations in addressing the SDGs, particularly the goals of “zero hunger” and gender equality. Keywords: Access regulation, Rural Communities, Gender inequality, Patriarchal Culture, Woman Empowerment

The Role of Environmental Design in Rural Revitalization

This paper provides an in-depth study on the overview of environmental design, the application of environmental design in rural revitalization, the challenges and countermeasures of environmental design in rural revitalization, and case studies. Firstly, this paper gives an overview of environmental design, clarifies the definition, classification and characteristics of environmental design, and introduces the development trend of environmental design. Secondly, this paper discusses the application of environmental design in rural revitalization, including the improvement of rural environment, the promotion of rural economic development, and the inheritance and innovation of rural society and culture. Then, this paper analyzes the challenges faced by environmental design in rural revitalization, such as the limited nature of rural resources, the low participation of rural residents as well as the lack of policy support and professional talents for rural environmental design, and puts forward corresponding countermeasures.

THE FUNCTIONING OF COMONYMS IN MODERN SONG TEXTS OF THE TATAR AND MARI PEOPLES

The article is devoted to the analysis of the modern musical and song tradition of the contacting ethnic groups of the Middle Volga region. The main attention is focused on the study of song texts in the Tatar and Mari languages contained in the names of rural settlements of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic of Mari El. The preservation of a common trend for all ethnic groups, expressed in the unification of thematic groups, the preservation of common features of national and cultural specificity in the performance of musical works, has been established. An archaic pentatonic characteristic of the Tatar song model, borrowed into the Mari folk song, has been recorded. It is confirmed that the basis of the modern Tatar and Mari musical and song culture of the village is the genre of village chant, marking the place of existence of the song and informing about the attribution of the song to a certain locality. There is a direct connection between the village and the rustic motif (chant). The implementation of the village tune is carried out mainly in everyday languages through lyrical songs and “takmak”. “Takmak” (analogous to Russian chastushka), as a legacy of the musical influence of the Turkic-Tatar population of the Middle Volga region, retained its influence on the musical tradition of the Cheremis (Mari) people, which allowed to establish a certain kinship of modern folkish songs of these peoples in rural society. The marking of the geographical affiliation of the song works is provided by toponyms describing the location of a particular locality. Song collections of a consolidated type in the Tatar and Mari languages are presented in printed and electronic versions. A comparative analysis of modern songs, including comonyms, revealed the manifestation of similar features when they are implemented in a natural cultural environment. Most modern folkish songs, both Tatar and Mari, are based on traditional motifs of the small homeland, nostalgia for the rural nativity, love of nature, autobiographical history, memories of past youth and childhood, indicating the characteristic features of the geo-landscape for this territory, as well as linguistic and cultural images based on the motives of sociocommunication – the presentation of the settlement, its residents, outstanding natives, self-presentation, promotion of village traditions, relationships of the multiethnic composition of the village, etc.

Unequal Power Relations at the Center of Social Vulnerability to Climate Change: Empirical Insights from Coastal Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Climate change is a global phenomenon affecting millions of people. Low-income people and communities are particularly at risk because of limited capacities to cope with climate-related stresses. Differential access to social and economic resources determines the level of adaptive potential; thus, the variations in social vulnerability to climate change. This article explores how unequal power relations influence the level of vulnerability in rural agrarian Bangladesh. Using data from the coastal region, it specifically discusses ethnicity, religion, gender, and farm size as the sources and manifestations of power relations in Bangladeshi rural society. I argue that the deeply rooted institutions of power in the country shape access to important resources that might increase adaptive capacity and thus resilience in the context of rapid climate change.

Design Improvement, Thermal Efficiency Optimization and Comparative Study of a Natural Draft Chulha

ABSTRACT This work inscribes the rural-based biomass cookstove (chulha) fabrication with the aim of modification and enhancement of the existing natural draft low smoke heat-efficient stoves and also comparing its thermal efficiency output. This study is important from the perspective of a rural society who cooks their daily meals on biomass-based cookstoves/chulhas. Enhancing its thermal efficiency and reducing smoke emissions from biomass combustion in the cookstove are the primary focuses of this work. Principle used to design the improved chulha is double co-axial cylinder secondary combustion. Mild steel is used for fabricating maximum parts of the stove including the outer cylinder surface, and the inner cylinder surface is made of galvanized steel, and the insulation between both the surfaces of the cylinders is made of fiber glass wool. Addition of a novel insulating material in the chulha for thermal insulation, resizable air inlet, design and incorporation of smoke rings and pot seat in such a way that no smoke passes through the cooking utensil assisted in achieving better thermal efficiency of the cookstove. Pine wood, bamboo, sagun wood, sal wood and neem wood have been selected as per local availability as biomass feedstock for combustion. To calculate the thermal efficiency, a water boiling test (WBT) has been performed. Best thermal efficiency of 47.08% has been achieved for pine wood biomass feedstock and due to proper placements of the grate and the air inlets in the improved chulha design. Also, a very negligible or no smoke has been observed due to the introduction of the advanced design of the smoke ring and pot seat and the chimney for the outlet making a green energy-efficient biomass cookstove.

Research on Rural e-commerce Development under the Background of Rural Revitalization — Take Daji Town of Cao County as an Example

Rural revitalization has always been an important proposition of The Times. In the context of rural revitalization, the traditional sales methods have also taken a new turn, and the shopping form of "Internet + sales" is gradually accepted by the public. Rural society has also been exposed to the Internet, and has quietly changed the new sales mode. Some rural areas have combined local resources with the Internet, expanded product sales channels, and increased economic income through e-commerce. Thanks to the development of e-commerce, many poor villages have gradually been lifted out of poverty and embarked on the road of prosperity. Now it has become a wealthy Taobao town. Daji Town, Caoxian County, Heze City, Shandong Province, is such a typical village for Internet sales. Through the analysis of rural e-commerce in Daji town, this paper puts forward relevant suggestions for the existing problems of rural e-commerce in Daji town.

Dowry Practice and Rural Society: An Investigation of Khanshama Upazila in Bangladesh

Abstract The practice of the dowry has gradually been spreading in Bangladesh society since the ancient time. The main objective of this study was to explore social implications of this dowry practice in the Hindu Community of Bangladesh. The study area is purposively selected and 351 household heads were interviewed using purposive sampling. A total number of marriage ceremonies took in the last two decades is 526. This study found variation in the dowry amount across the social classes and also noticed various reasons, some of them are bettering daughter's marital life, upgrading social status, unwillingness of groom's family in marriage without dowry and so on. All these factors led people to sell or mortgage their most valuable properties (cattle, land, the gold ornament and so on). It concludes that such kind of the cursed system is a furuncle to the poorer section of the society.

Land covers associated with forest expansion hot spots in the Nepal Himalaya

Abstract Many regions of the Himalaya are experiencing forest expansion, signifying a widespread forest transition across this fragile mountain system. In the Nepal Himalaya, forest expansion is increasingly attributed to the narrative of cropland abandonment driven by rural outmigration. Understanding forest change dynamics as consequences of land use changes is critical in the context of rural mountain societies such as Nepal, which exhibit complex interactions between forest, agriculture, and livelihoods. We analysed forest gain in Nepal from 2000–2019 to inquire where and when forests have expanded and what land covers transitioned into forests. We integrated spatiotemporal analysis of national land cover maps and photointerpretation of very high resolution (VHR) imagery to improve analytical estimates. The Middle Mountain physiographic region experienced the strongest hot spots of forest gains relative to the high mountains or lowlands. Visual interpretation of VHR showed that 68.8% of forest gains since 2000 occurred on shrubland, and 26.5% on cropland. The dominance of shrubland-forest transitions implied that shrubland is an intermediate stage in a multi-decadal succession process, or a semi-permanent state such as arrested succession. Notably however, we also detected cropland-forest transitions occurring as fast as 6–10 years, indicating the potential for rapid forest succession if biophysical conditions permit. Thus, variations in land cover transitions to forests in the hills implicated multiple pathways of forest regeneration, reflecting a variety of spatiotemporally explicit drivers. Our results differ from previous studies because VHR image analysis accounted for land cover classification errors and improved land cover quantification. Further research on spatially explicit mechanisms and drivers of forest gain are needed to understand the synergies of forest, agriculture, and livelihoods to inform land use land cover policies that could be leveraged to enhance rural mountain livelihoods.

Analysis of Leisure Activities and Residential Intentions in Depopulated Areas: A Case Study of Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture

Population outflow from rural areas represents a significant social issue in Japan. Data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications suggest that insufficient leisure options contribute to rural residents’ decisions to relocate. This study aims to examine the relationship between subjective well-being and the intention to reside in a specific region, considering the diversity of leisure activities available to rural residents. Our findings indicate that enhancing leisure activities improves subjective well-being but does not necessarily strengthen residents’ intentions to reside in the area. Notably, those partaking in wider areas for leisure activities exhibited a lower inclination to stay in the region. This study contributes to the understanding necessary for developing sustainable rural societies.

Risk preference and rural livelihood transitions in the hilly and mountainous region of southern China: a case study in Ruijin City

Rural livelihood transition towards non-agriculturalization, non-grainization and even anti-urbanization has become a thorny social problem that undermines farmland resources and worldwide food security. Based on a simulation survey, this study explored the risk preferences and the livelihood transition mechanisms of typical farmers in the hilly and mountainous region. The results indicated that: (1) 76.86% of rural households exhibited risk aversion tendencies, with 60.67% being highly risk-averse. The ranking of risk aversion among the three typical farmers is consistent with asset abundance, with non-agriculture oriented households > semi-farmer and semi-labour households > vocational farmer households. (2) The non-grainization of vocational farmer households is significantly and positively correlated with the family labour force, land management area, and housing assets, yet negatively correlated with risk preferences. Compared to traditional grain cultivation, non-grainization in the hilly and mountainous region possesses lower risks and higher profitability for vocational farmer households. (3) The total non-agriculturalization of semi-farmer and semi-labour households correlates negatively with land management area but positively with family income. (4) Anti-urbanization and returning hometowns for farming are still regarded as a livelihood fallback by the non-agriculture oriented households, but excessive gift expenditure has become a heavy burden in rural society. Therefore, practical and systematical countermeasures are proposed in this research to guide sustainable livelihood transition.

Research on the Functions and Obstacles of Rural Social Organizations in Rural Governance from the Perspective of Structural Functionalism

Since the reform and opening up, with the transformation of the national governance model, my country's rural social structure has undergone earth-shaking changes. The multi-center governance subject structure has gradually replaced the traditional single governance subject structure and has become the main model for the management of rural social public affairs in my country. As an important subject in governance activities, rural social organizations play a key role in promoting farmers' collective actions and nurturing grassroots democracy. As an important part of the rural social structure, rural social organizations not only have their structure and functions rooted in the transformation of the social structure, but their changes and development also play an important role in the transformation of the social structure. From the perspective of structural functionalism, analyzing the role and function of rural social organizations in the rural social structure has positive theoretical value and practical significance for achieving the effective fit of the structure and function of rural social organizations and building a benign management order in rural society under the background of the rural revitalization strategy.

What can proper names in the Polish TV series „Rancho” tell us about „our local West”?

The paper offers a description of the names used in four seasons (1–4) of the Polish TV series “Rancho.” The analysis aims to show the mentality of the rural society that lives in Wilkowyje, its characteristics, and its views on political and social changes after Poland’s accession to the European Union. Europe is not the only symbol of the West entering this community. It is also, above all, America, embodied by the fi lm’s protagonist, a Polish woman born in New York. For the local inhabitants, the ongoing changes are puzzling and sometimes painful, which they express vocally in their assessments of the West. Due to the specifics of the fi lm language, proper names are studied in their contexts: in the dialogues between the characters and in the situations in which they find themselves. Occasionally, the interpretation of the onymes also requires a deeper look at the source (the film) from which they originated – as an audiovisual work (film editing, music, acting, visuals, colours, etc.).

Information Stratification: An Understanding of Rural Governance in the New Media Era

Current research on media governance emphasizes the technological aspect of information as a tool but lacks sufficient attention to the digital transformation of information subjects. This paper aims to focus on the internal information characteristics of rural governance in the digital age, thus understanding the changes of rural governance subjects in the information society under new media contexts. Based on more than a decade of fieldwork in rural areas of Beijing conducted by the research team, this study employs in-depth interviews and participant observation in a multi-case study, exploring the structural representation of rural governance from an information perspective. The research reveals that in the new media era, rural society, under multiple governance bodies, generates differentiated information stratification, specifically manifesting as instrumental rational information in the formal governance layer, proxy implementation information in the semi-formal governance layer, and livelihood-adaptive information in the informal governance layer. Among these, the authority-driven governance information in the formal layer is the core part of the rural governance system. The subjects and structures of information under multiple governance bodies are interconnected and coexist within the internal field of rural governance, subsequently driving the centralization of formal governance information, the collaboration of semi-formal governance information, and the alienation of informal governance information. This leads to the emergence of orderly information stratification within the multi-layered governance structure. Information stratification deepens the explanatory pathway of multi-layered governance in rural social studies and proposes new perspectives for understanding rural governance issues in the new media era.

Making of the marginal: gender in a new education city

ABSTRACT Global urban studies are undergoing a paradigm shift recognizing the link between urban and rural studies. In this sense, ‘agrarian urbanism’ has become the research focus, especially in the Global South. This paper analyses the changing social relations in Sonipat (Haryana, India) after it was developed as an ‘Education city’. The focus is gender relations with analysis under two categories: ‘locals’ and ‘outsiders’. While urbanization was thought of as a linear process where surplus production in the rural areas would naturally lead to cities, in the global south capitalist real estate-led development has meant that urbanization is often superimposed on existing rural societies, pushing them towards marginalization in favor of gated enclaved urban infrastructure. Employing qualitative interviews, I hypothesize that the private capital-driven urbanization in Sonipat not only geographically marginalizes the existing villages but also engenders dissonant experiences of local and outsider women. The fault lines between the two mean that interaction between them is defined by exploitation and mutual suspicion. Further, I argue that within this dichotomy, women bear the brunt of social control, restricted movement and potential violence.

Anthropology and Rural Sociology: Combining Qualitative Methods to Analyze Rural Life and Beliefs

This paper explores the application of qualitative methods in analyzing rural life and beliefs through the perspectives of anthropology and rural sociology. Qualitative research methods, such as participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and text analysis, can reveal the complexities of rural social structures, cultural changes, and religious beliefs. By integrating the perspectives of anthropology and rural sociology, this paper demonstrates the unique advantages of qualitative methods in understanding the internal mechanisms, cultural traditions, and community interactions in rural societies. The study emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary research in interpreting the diversity and complexity of rural societies. The findings indicate that qualitative methods not only capture the dynamic processes of rural society but also provide rich first-hand data, offering scientific evidence for policy formulation and social practice.

Некоторые особенности документирования финансовой деятельности учреждений власти и самоуправления Нальчикского округа в начале ХХ века

The article focuses on studying some features of documenting the financial activities of govern-ment and self-government institutions of the Nalchik district in the early twentieth century. The paper considers the records of government and local government institutions that were entrusted with financial functions (district and district boards, Treasuries, including Nalchik, Stavropol Treasury Chamber, Congress of Trusted Rural Societies of Greater and Lesser Kabarda and Five Mountain Societies, Kabardian public Sum and its treasurer, rural boards, rural public funds). The informative impact of such clerical documents as prescriptions, resolutions, reports, relations, re-ceipts from residents of villages, bills from various institutions to the treasurer of the Kabardian public sum and the head of the Nalchik district, statements, receipts, certificates, etc. is deter-mined for the study of various areas of the economic history of the Kabardian and Balkarian popu-lation of the district. The exchange of information between the subjects of financial relations oc-curred through telegrams and notices, and their description is given. It is concluded that the rec-ords of the institutions of government and self-government of the Nalchik district in financial ac-tivity contain information about how, in what form and on what issues they interacted with each other and with other non-financial institutions, what the hierarchy of financial institutions of the Nalchik District looked like during the period under study; and also reflected information on the composition of employees of financial institutions, authorities and self-government and their em-ployees, including representatives of the Kabardian and Balkarian population.

How to evaluate the efficiency of rural preschool education resources and its regional differences in China

Rural preschool education is an integral part of rural society, and improving the efficiency system of evaluation of rural preschool education resource allocation is an important strategy for the implementation of the rural revitalization. This paper uses an input-oriented three-stage DEA model to analyze the efficiency of rural preschool education resource allocation in 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2020. The results show that external factors such as the level of urbanization, birth rate, and the scale of kindergarten impacts the efficiency of rural preschool education resource allocation significantly. Without regard to the influence of environmental and random factors, the overall trend of the average efficiency of rural preschool education resource allocation in China has improved, showing a regional pattern of “central > eastern > western.” Therefore, based on the relevant policies, this paper puts forward rational suggestions for the improvement of rural preschool resource allocation efficiency in China from the perspectives of human, financial and material resources.

Advocating ‘eco-village’ for sustainable development: The dayalbagh way of life

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; layout-grid-mode: char; mso-layout-grid-align: none; punctuation-wrap: simple; margin: 12.0pt 0cm 6.0pt 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 120%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">India as a country has its identity deeply rooted in its rural culture. Whether we talk about agriculture, tradition, food, art, or music, the rural society of India has always proven itself a representation towards the national front. The Dayalbagh society in Agra city of Uttar Pradesh (India) is engaged to strengthen the nation’s roots through education, technology, sustainability, management, innovation, research, and most importantly, selfless service. The major potential for economic growth in India lies in the development of its rural areas. This article is an attempt to spot the outlook of a society that has its inception for the past 100 years and is continuously making efforts to glorify the message of sustainable development, environmental protection, and rural development through its effective plans in designing an eco-village-based society. Based on the narrative description approach, this article highlights the efforts and strategies employed by the Dayalbagh society to promote sustainable development, environmental protection, and rural development. The focus is on how society integrates education, technology, sustainability, management, innovation, research, and selfless service to achieve these goals. The Dayalbagh society’s initiatives have taken into consideration economic, social, environmental, and human aspects, demonstrating significant contributions towards sustainable development and rural empowerment. The philosophy and successful practices of the Dayalbagh society can inspire and guide others in developing action plans for effective environmental protection and sustainable rural development. By adopting such approaches, other organizations, decision-makers, and individuals can contribute to the overall growth and well-being of rural areas in India.</span></p>

Between Public and Private: A Study of the Rural Fertilization System during the Collectivization Period (1949–1963) – With a Focus on Shanxi Province

Abstract Manure is a critical productive resource for agricultural development. With the advancement of the collectivization movement, household manure accumulation became a key source of fertilizer for collective agricultural operations. However, the process of farmers contributing fertilizer to the collective faced setbacks due to factors such as unreasonable compensation. In response, various localities gradually developed fertilization systems centered around tasks, compensation, and rewards and penalties. The essence of these systems was an economic balance between collective fertilizer use and increased farmer income, generally characterized by considerations for both public and private interests, but prioritizing the public over the private. In the dynamic restructuring of the relationship between labor input and income distribution, political norms and economic measures adjusted to one another. The economic rationality of the peasants interacted with the “egalitarianism” culture in rural areas, reflecting the complex interplay between public and private interests during the collectivization period in rural society.

Private Enterprises and Innovative Interventions in Long-Term Care for Older People: Insights into Residual Stereotypes of Greek Rural Areas

In many areas of rural Greece there exist remnants of traditional stereotypes that were socially constructed in closed societies where the institution of the patriarchal family previously reigned and are regenerated by the dominant culture. These stereotypes have shaped over time the perception that long-term care for older adults should be provided within the family structure and exclusively by family members. Notably, it was previously considered a disgrace in Greek rural society if children moved their parents to a residential or nursing home. Public or other care facilities for older people emerged just two decades ago, except a few led by the church. However, these attitudes have been softened in recent years. European and National funded programmes have shaped different notions towards long-term care in these areas. This was facilitated by the structural changes that occurred in the Greek countryside in combination with the existing low birth rate in these areas and the presence of concrete migratory flows. The present study explores the business environment that is being formed and its potential to unleash the productive forces that have pinned down the relevant residual stereotypes. It also examines the socio-economic impact of the above enterprises on rural areas. Qualitative interviews were conducted with eight entrepreneurs who have invested in rural long-term care settings for older persons and eight elected chairpersons of local councils. Our findings indicate that regardless of financial support towards private care entities for older people, in order for the services offered to take a more prominent social role, the development of local consensus and innovative interventions is required in tandem. If achieved, such care providers can contribute to the socio-economic development of rural areas. This study provides international literature with further evidence on the crucial role of such enterprises on supportiveness towards inhabitants’ quality of life improvement while results can be useful for Greek and European decision-making centers as well as potential rural entrepreneurs.