乡村性中社会关系构建与想象

In the current study, whether tourism creates an urbanization effect on consciousness or creates no change is examined from the perspective of social identity theories. People who earn money from tourism in Yesiluzumlu that receives amenity migration were selected as the research population. According to the information obtained, the number of enterprises in the neighborhood was lower than 30. Assuming that there were 29 enterprises, the sample constituted 55% of the population through purposive sampling. In-depth interviews were conducted with participants and the data obtained was subjected to discourse analysis which is composed of post-structuralist perspective as epistemological structure. The study makes a contribution to the literature on rural-urban interaction in tourism and brings into question the transformative effect of tourism on social identity. It illustrates the problems in the settlement that may be caused by the construction activities that is synonymous in the participants’ minds with urbanization and without neglecting the stimulating effect of urban consciousness, underlines mutual value creation between urbanity and rurality is an option in a way that the level of urbanization in the touristic settlement remains controlled.

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The social construction of rurality remains a collective fantasy of a safe, green, ethnically homogeneous environment. This fantasy, called “the rural idyll,” still dominates the way in which people give meaning to their lives, the lives of others, and the places where they live. This idyll is based on an interrelated urban/ethnic diverse versus rural/white dichotomy, even as rural areas are in fact becoming more ethnically diverse. The question of how ethnic diversity is understood, in traditional media, through the fantasy of the rural idyll is central to this paper. Drawing on recurring stories in 450 newspaper articles in the Flemish written press covering rural ethnic diversity, we identify four different ideal‐type frames: growing ethnic diversity as a (1) threat to the rural idyll, (2) confirmation of the rural idyll, (3) the consequence of rural deprivation, and (4) the solution to rural deprivation. Our analysis shows that a large proportion of the newspaper articles use “ethnic diversity as a threat to the rural idyll.” This connects with the long‐standing anti‐urban discourse in Flanders (Belgium). Nevertheless, the presence and emergence of other frames indicate that this discourse does not remain not unchallenged.

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This article is framed by a broader discussion on the new meanings conferred by rural areas, and the construction of rurality recently undertaken by human geographers. The aim of the research presented here has been to identify perceptions of the countryside in Poland, at a time when a fundamental transition from agrarian to post-agrarian communities has already taken place. After a briefreview of the literature and a presentation of the contemporary conditions of rural development in Poland, the paper presents the results of the study conducted in 22 pre-selected villages in Poland. The social research involved semi-structured interviews and freehand sketches exemplifying tacit knowledge about these places, i.e. the symbolic meaning attributed by people to their living spaces. Results of this research show that uncovering this knowledge generates a variety of information useful in interpreting contemporary rurality as shaped by dynamic change in Poland’s economy and social life.

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This paper proposes neo-rural paradigm as a key reference in the construction of a “return to local socio-economic systems”. We have already recognised this fundamental role of neo-rurality from the first step (“return to the earth”) of our journey of ‘returns’, in the meeting with a new peasant actorship and its ‘social accomplices’ that expresses a ‘primary’ motion of ‘care and culture’ of the earth. A new beginning that gives life to neo-rural paradigm thus assuming a general value beyond agriculture, extending to all the territorial socio-economies: these are essentially activities for the construction of the Oikos (root of economy and home, that home of human race we call territory). It is above all a matter of giving way on territories to the neo-rural practices that founded that paradigm. Such a work is already under way but it can be extended in the practice of an exchange between disciplinary and experiential knowledge of neo-rural processes, e.g. through local interactive observatories. Experiences that used to be isolated in their ‘internal’ construction, in their ‘pioneering phase’, now raise the issue of their mutual relationship within a “higher-order local”, matrix of their own extensive and cooperating ‘territorial body’. These are already the first founding projects of local systems under construction that reveal features of alternative local geographies towards the ‘agro-urban bioregion’ scenario.

Walking barefoot is a common practice in the Fogera community. It is associated with social meanings such as masculinity and strength and much less with poor economic conditions. Using the concept of social construction, this article investigates the underlying norms and values that govern the tradition of barefooting among the Fogera rural community. By employing semi-structured interviews with participants of in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and focused-group discussions, the study found that the practice is deeply rooted in social norms. Barefooting could be a sign of mourning, strength, braveness, and religious devotion. It could also happen due to perceived unsuitability of shoes for specific farm activities, financial constraints, and shortage of shoes in local markets. On the other hand, there are adverse impacts of barefooting including ill-health (foot injuries and infections) and social problems (discrimination and harassment).

A social constructivist approach has been applied in our case study analysis in order to explore the sense of place and the perception of landscape of local inhabitants. Fieldwork was carried out in three rural Hungarian microregions selected on the basis of a typology developed through statistical analysis. The central question of the study assumes that the way people name the place where they live is an expression of their sense of place and that it is related to their perceptions about narrower locality and also the general attitudes they have towards the rural or urban landscape. To prove this hypothesis, we examined, in three microregions, how people name their own living area, how they relate to the countryside and rural way of life, and how they describe their own locality in their own words (positive and negative aspects). Based on analyses, three different landscape perception types were outlined and were seen to be interconnected with three ways of place naming: (i) a “close-to-nature” perception in relation to geographical place names; (ii) a “cultural-historical” identification in connection with cultural names and (iii) “lifestyle-service” focused landscape perception linked to administrative place naming.

Rapid urbanization in China has intensified spatial and social disparities between urban and rural areas, posing major challenges to sustainable rural development. Traditional top-down rural construction and evaluation models often neglect villagers’ everyday practices, resulting in mismatches between spatial planning and actual use. This study develops a cross-scale, bottom-up framework for assessing rural construction through social network analysis (SNA), taking Xiongfan Village in Dawu County, Hubei Province, as a case study. At the village scale, the comparison between the “Public Space Structure Network” and the “Villagers’ Space Usage Behavior Network” reveals a significant mismatch between spatial compactness and behavioral dispersion, with high-frequency activities concentrated along the north–south axis while peripheral and east–west spaces remain underutilized. At the township scale, GPS-based analysis shows that the revitalization of Xiongfan transformed it from a peripheral node into a central hub, restructuring the network into a new pattern of “characteristic towns—traditional villages—ecological scenic areas.” These findings highlight the dual role of rural construction in both meeting residents’ daily needs and fostering regional integration. The proposed cross-scale SNA framework not only advances methodological tools for evaluating rural construction but also provides practical guidance for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban–rural development in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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In the era of technological and information modernization, the need for information is one of the basic needs for human life. It makes various community groups develop ways of life to meet these needs. One of them was carried out by the people of Melung Village, who independently built an internet network in their village to obtain access to information from outside Melung Village. The difficult location and being in the mountains make this business known to many, so Melung Village is nicknamed the Internet Village or Digital Village. In its development, this embedded predicate, or nickname affects how people recognize themselves and represent their identity. This research wants to explore more deeply how the dynamics and formation of sociocultural identities for the community are located. This study uses ethnographic methods to obtain field data. Ethnography was chosen to obtain data from the perspective of cultural stakeholders, in this case, the people of Melung village. The results of this study show that the people of Melung Village do not deliberately embed the identity of the digital village but rather introduce the public to Melung Village, a remote village with good internet access. In its development, this identity is interpreted by the community not only as the identity of the village but also as the identity of the people of Melung Village.

Objective: To investigate how the rural community of Santa Rita (Teresópolis, RJ) builds resistance against capitalist expansion through agroecology and rural tourism, analyzing the formation of socio-environmental territorialities as an alternative model for social and territorial management.   Theoretical Framework: The study is grounded in Rural Sociology, lifeworld approaches, critiques of territorial commodification, and the concept of socio-environmental territorialities—integrating resistance, agroecology, and sustainable development.   Method: Ethnographic research with participant observation and group dynamics, analyzing self-managed practices, political organization, and the interplay between identity, territory, and resistance in the Santa Rita community.   Results and Discussion: The community constructs socio-environmental territorialities through agroecology and rural tourism, strengthening resistance against agribusiness and gentrification. These practices foster sustainable development, collective identity, and compliance with Article 225 of the Brazilian Constitution.   Research Implications: The findings demonstrate that agroecological practices and community-based rural tourism can reinforce territorial resistance, offering a replicable model for other communities facing capitalist pressures while informing public policies for sustainable rural development.   Originality/Value: The study proposes "socio-environmental territorialities" as a theoretical tool to analyze rural resistance, highlighting Santa Rita’s autonomous social management as an inspiring model for communities under capitalist expansion.

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Since the end of the 1990s, as in other Latin American countries, Uruguay has experienced an "agricultural boom," an advance in the agricultural sector and the introduction of new technologies as well as new ways of producing and working. In addition, since 2005, the country has seen a surge in rural unionization, associated with collective bargaining processes and the expansion of workers' rights at the national level. However, this process has not yet been able to consolidate significant changes in the historical working conditions of rural labor. This paper analyzes the social construction of the risk of rural wage labor from the perspective of rural leaders, based on a qualitative approach. In the workers' discourses appear elements of naturalization as well as persistent difficulties in their work to improve their working conditions, as a way of impacting their health and quality of life.

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While there is an increasing number of Black and Muslim stories in urban settings, cultural imaginations of the British rural as linked to whiteness are pervasive. Despite there being a long-established presence of Black and Muslim people in British rural areas, their bodies are excluded or made to disappear to make the rural and, by extension, the nation (supposedly) safe. Drawing on Sara Ahmed’s notion of white habit worlds, this article explores the specific ways in which popular imaginations of rural spaces in the UK orient Black and Muslim bodies in relation to rurality. I will argue that whiteness as the racialisation of the pastoral form is closely imbricated with the Christian pastoral notion of Eden by close reading season five of the TV crime drama Shetland, the feature film Four Lions (2010) and the documentary Arcadia (2017). By asking how these configure British rural space through their orientation of Black and Muslim bodies and how they contest or reinforce the (lack of) belonging of bodies considered ‘non-white’/‘non-Christian’ in rural spaces, I inquire how these productions complement each other in what they have to say about the presence of Black and Muslim bodies in British rural space and how this relates to wider debates about immigration and national identity.

The study examines the image of urban and rural settlements in the structure of local identity among the younger generation of the Krasnodar Krai. It highlights the specific characteristics of the region that determine the nature of the settlements located in it. The concept of “settlement image” and the factors shaping it in the minds of citizens within the specified age group are explored. Based on sociological survey data, a compara-tive analysis is conducted on the peculiarities of how youth in the Krasnodar Krai perceive urban and rural spaces. Using the method of free association, respondent reactions related to their place of residence are iden-tified and grouped. It is revealed that a positive perception of the local territory is characteristic of most re-spondents. The research demonstrates the complexity and multifaceted nature of settlement images in the minds of the youth of the Krasnodar Krai, emphasizing the influence of both objective factors (geography, economy, infrastructure) and subjective factors (personal experiences, social experience, cultural values) on this image. The data obtained are significant for the development of targeted programs and strategies for the development of the region, taking into account the interests of youth.

Abstract Concerns about the effects of climate change have led to an interest in identifying ways to foster sustainability transitions. In the Global North, a key approach is to eventually eliminate dependence on carbon emitting energy while moving towards renewable sources, including wind power. Since wind farms require vast amounts of land, inevitably this explains the presence of such installations in many rural regions. This situation has alarmed various stakeholders, including those involved in tourism, who see such developments as threats to idyllic notions of rurality and, by default, to the transformation of the countryside for visitor experiences. Through a series of case studies in rural Sweden, we explore the attitudes of tourists towards the presence of wind farms in the landscape. Overall, study respondents recognize the need for such installations since most accept the necessity to embark on sustainable energy transitions. In this way, they understand that many parts of rural Sweden are transforming into spaces where sustainable energy future must be negotiated. Ultimately, sustainability transitions lead to the rethinking of conventional perceptions around rural space and tourism. We suggest that geographical research on sustainability transitions in tourism should account for conceptions of rurality that involve assemblages of imagination, place framing, and power relations in sustainability transitions. This conceptualization is necessary for achieving just and sustainable energy futures.

ABSTRACT Knowledge about family caregivers in rural areas remains sparse. No studies to date have addressed the sociocultural aspects in caregiving, thus neglecting potentially significant data. This study aimed to explore and better understand family caregivers’ experiences in rural and urban areas and the sociocultural spheres that these two areas represent. How do family caregivers approach their caregiving situation? A hermeneutical approach was chosen to uncover the underlying meanings of experiences. Open-ended in-depth interviews were conducted. The ontological and epistemological roots are based on hermeneutic philosophy, where a human being’s existence is viewed as socially constructed. The study followed a purposeful sampling. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 rural and 11 urban family caregivers to persons with dementia. These were then analyzed in accordance with the hermeneutical process. The findings provide insight into the variations of family caregiver approaches to caregiving in rural and urban areas of Sweden. There seemed to be a prevalence of a more accepting and maintaining approach in the rural areas as compared to the urban areas, where caregiving was more often viewed as an obligation and something that limited one’s space. Differences in the construction of family identity seemed to influence the participants approach to family caregiving. Therefore, community-based caregiving for the elderly needs to become aware of how living within a family differs and how this affects their views on being a caregiver. Thus, support systems must be individually adjusted to each family’s lifestyles so that this is more in tune with their everyday lives.

Rural students face multiple issues pursuing higher education, including financial hardships, inadequate college preparation, and geographic isolation from postsecondary institutions. These issues are further complicated for rural Latinx students, especially those from immigrant farm working backgrounds, who are positioned at the intersection of multiple systems of oppression. Yet, rural Latinx students’ college choice and transition experiences are rarely centered in the higher education literature. This article examined the college choices of nine rural Latinx high school seniors from California’s San Joaquin Valley who chose to attend a public higher education institution in this agricultural region. This article drew on three indicators from the culturally engaging campus environments (CECE) model and employed a Chicana/Latina feminist pláticas methodology to analyze the campus elements that motivated rural Latinx students to enroll in public institutions in the San Joaquin Valley. Findings demonstrate that rural Latinx students purposely chose these institutions because they imagined that such institutions would (a) be racially and spatially familiar, (b) allow them to give back to their rural communities through relevant majors, and (c) offer tight-knit collegiate environments. Recommendations for higher education researchers and practitioners interested in increasing college success for rural Latinx students and expanding traditional definitions of rural-serving institutions (RSIs) are provided.

ABSTRACT The ‘geography of discontent’ debate argues that discontent in ‘left-behind places’ is the root of the rise of right-wing populism in rural areas. Based on a qualitative analysis of group discussions, we examine why the right-wing populist party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is successful in some structurally weak rural areas, but not others. And why does it succeed in some structurally strong areas, yet fail in others? The derived heuristic model suggests that the interweaving of discontent with the limitation of opportunity structures and a centre-right local political climate explains high AfD vote shares in rural areas.

In this contribution, ways of analysis are established that allow the incorporation of material change processes in the context of global rural restructuring. The traditional binary relation can evolve towards hybrid models based on the permanent becoming and the post-structural or the post-modern visions. The evolution from the binary to the hybrid analysis model aims to establish simple and complex encounters between social and material categories. In the second part of this contribution, the different types of (dis)encounters are established through three traditional house sales processes in the High Besaya area in Cantabria (Spain), analyzed in an auto-ethnographic way.

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Inspired by geographical work on the right to the city, there is nascent scholarly interest in a right to the rural. Given that the concept has proven useful in the urban context for both scholars and organizers, it is indeed worth considering its intellectual and political potential in the countryside. We survey the use of the right to the city by both scholars and social movements, as well as nascent efforts to apply this theoretical framework to rural areas. We proceed to argue that struggles over access to rural space are a compelling starting point for developing a right to the rural, highlighting along the way the increasing prominence of rentiership in shaping land control struggles. Drawing on three case studies of conflicts over access to rural space in the USA we argue that a right to the rural is a concept with potential, but also caution that it is not a panacea. It is open-ended, itself a site of struggle.

The vitality of public space in rural communities is an important symbol of rural revitalization, especially in suburban rural communities. Previous studies focused on rural industries and ignored the effects of the spatial environment on different groups of people. Hence, this study takes the public space of suburban rural communities as an example and uses Global Positioning System (GPS) and cognitive mapping data to establish a new vibrancy assessment system for tourists and residents, respectively. The effects of the public space environment and space vitality in suburban rural communities are revealed through ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. The results suggested that: (I) There were pronounced seasonal changes and spatial distribution differences in the space vitality of tourists, while residents were concentrated in fixed public spaces. (II) For tourists, the public space vitality in rural communities was affected by seven factors, including accessibility, seats, green looking ratio, recreational facilities, water area, plant species richness, and plant color composition. Green looking ratio and water area had a negative impact. For residents, the public space vitality in rural communities was affected by five factors, including shelter facilities, seats, accessibility, space type, fitness facilities. Only fitness facilities had a negative effect. Our research proposed a feasible and effective method to assess the vitality of rural public space in rural communities, and the finding from this study provides significant implications for the development and planning of suburban rural communities oriented by vitality.

The prerequisites, conditions and drivers of multilocality, that is, leading an everyday life in multiple places, were transformed through the accelerated adoption of remote work triggered by the COVID‐19 pandemic. We bring new perspectives to the field of multilocality research by exploring and theorising multilocal practices through a post‐pandemic lens and in the geographical context of a northern pleasure periphery. We identify three dimensions of multilocal practices: temporal commitment , place relations and conduct of everyday life . Drawing on 18 interviews with multilocals in a case study of Åre, an outdoor tourism hotspot in sparsely populated northern Sweden, we develop a typology of four multilocal practices. The findings reveal substantial heterogeneity in the drivers and features of multilocal practices and expand the understanding of multilocality in hitherto under‐researched spatio‐temporal contexts. We discuss the results in relation to local policymaking in rural municipalities, notably in areas with large non‐permanent populations.

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Abstract This contribution calls for re-framing the rural-urban connections concerning agrarian production within extended urbanisation. The ongoing industrialisation of agriculture shows the ‘rural’ space as a transformative geography challenging the persisting tendency to view it as an autonomous landscape in contrast to the urban and forms of urbanisation. The article analyses apple farming in Val di Non in Trentino, a northern area of Italy where the cohabitation between apple production and the local community has become controversial. Actor-network theory and assemblage thinking serve as methodological tools to explore controversies and contingencies emerging from different entities. The conflictual assemblage of apples, pesticides, pathogens, insects, supply-chain operations, growers, and local communities opens a small space for manoeuvre and suggests an alternative scenario for human and nonhuman cohabitation. This potential cohabitation offers a lens through which to illuminate forms of intermediate rural futurity that diverge from the dominant political discourses around apple production.

As custodians of intangible cultural heritage and ecological knowledge systems, Chinese traditional villages face dual challenges, namely, rapidnew urbanization and the commodification of capital-driven spaces. Thus, the sustainability crisis within their living environments has become increasingly prominent. This study reviews Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space and the features of traditional villages through a literature review. It identifies six sustainable characteristics of traditional villages, grounded in the theory of the production of space. Case studies of four distinct traditional villages (Hongcun, Anhui; Yazhe Zaozu, Sichuan; Tianluokeng, Fujian; Dingcun, Shanxi) — representing diverse types and geographical contexts—were conducted to validate these characteristics. The results indicate the following: First, the sustainability of the living environment in traditional villages manifests not only in the persistence of physical spaces, but more fundamentally in the maintenance of social bonds and spiritual culture. Second, the holders of rights in traditional villages vary across regions and village types. Third, the sustainability of the living environments typically exhibits distinct local characteristics, rich experiential narratives, strong collective practices, considerable resilience, significant cultural symbolism, and close interconnectivity. These findings extend the applicability of the production of space in examining the sustainability of rural living environments, offering valuable theoretical insights and practical strategies for the conservation and sustainable development of Chinese traditional villages.

To delve into the predicaments in urban-rural cultural integration, analyze the underlying essential issues, and explore paths and strategies for advancing the equalization of urban-rural public cultural services, this paper, in combination with the Neighborhood Communication Theory, proposes an "Institution-Technology-Society" three-dimensional analytical framework. It examines the communication mechanisms, spatial production, and governance models in the process of urban-rural cultural integration, and reveals the interactions among the three.The study finds that although the urban-rural dual structure is gradually dissolving, obstacles to the flow of cultural identity and emotional identity still exist, leading to a widening gap between urban and rural cultures. Through institutional innovation and digital technology empowerment, urban and rural cultures can break through geographical and institutional restrictions to achieve cross-boundary flow, promoting the gradual integration of cultures. Moreover, the equalization of urban-rural public cultural services is an important foundation for advancing urban-rural integration. Only through multi-dimensional cooperation in institutional design, technical support, and social interaction, and by enabling township public cultural spaces to exert a "front effect", can true urban-rural cultural integration be achieved.

Background/Objectives: Adolescent girls’ physical activity levels are well below the minimum recommended levels for health and wellbeing. Rural-dwelling adolescents may also experience decreased physical activity levels than their urban counterparts, placing rural adolescent girls at a greater disadvantage. The reasons for these low levels are multifactorial, including, but not limited to, age, geographical locations, and gendered stereotypes surrounding activities. Qualitative investigations into adolescent girls’ physical activity can provide deeper understandings on the key barriers and supports that specific populations experience and have been limited in the current literature. This study explores the physical activity experiences of adolescent girls living in rural Nova Scotia to provide deeper understandings of the needs of this population to inform physical activity policy and programming. Methods: Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology and feminist post-structuralism were used in a bricolage fashion to analyze six semi-structured interviews from adolescent girls between 11–13 years old living in rural eastern Nova Scotia. Results: Three major themes were identified from the interviews: (1) what physical activity looks like depends on your definition; (2) “What do you do when the boys take over the gym?”; and (3) “It’s really nice to have space…but there’s a lot less options out here”. The themes were not independent, but rather all were linked by the threads of gendered sociocultural expectations and hegemonic femininity. Conclusions: Distinct physical activity identities were exposed within the stories, shaped by parental and peer supports, personal ideals, sociocultural gender roles, and individual sense of agency surrounding physical activity engagement. Rural adolescent girls need both increased social and parental support to better navigate barriers of location and gender stereotypes that may be limiting their physical activity.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to undo the nature/culture, human/non-human divide in English language teaching in order to enable healthy and ethical human – environment relationships. Set in a rural primary school in Argentinian Patagonia, participants were 40 children aged 6–14 who belonged to the multilingual Mapuche communities in an area called Pil Pil. Theoretically grounded in the post-human episteme and eco-centric perspectives in applied linguistics and language education, the research question was: How can the human/non-human, nature/culture divide be disarticulated through language education? Based on four outdoor learning experiences planned and implemented in the setting, documentary and conversational data were gathered. A walking post-qualitative methodology was used. Findings are portrayed in three lines of articulation which indicate that geographical spaces became sites of ethical engagement with the natural world fostered by walking experiences in the outdoor environment. These walking outdoor opportunities enabled an affective and ethical foundation for the development of an eco-consciousness built around a human/nature and non-human unity. This happened in an English language classroom in which English, Spanish and Mapudungum were enabled and fostered. Implications for language education and green applied linguistics are considered.

As urbanization takes on forms and spaces beyond the typical city, urban theorists have questioned how the field can comprehend the rural. Drawing on recent theories in rural geography, I propose the concept of ‘state‐led ruralization’, which I define as state agencies’ deliberate effort to reshape rural social space by regulating the relations between rural people and their land, the physical forms of the rural environment and the subjectivity of rural dwellers. I argue that state‐led ruralization and extended urbanization, although deeply entangled, are two distinct categories of planetary capitalism. I examine their entanglement through an ethnographic analysis of a case of state‐led ruralization: agrarian corporatization in Sangshan, a village in rural Hunan province, China. Following national efforts to maximize food yields to feed urban populations—a mode of land governance that I call the ‘food security regime’—Sangshan village government sought to persuade farmers to sign a deal to transfer their land to an agribusiness corporation. My findings reveal that farmers’ ability to opt out of these deals and retain their farmlands largely depended on the economic power they had previously accumulated in cities through urbanization. These relations between urbanization and ruralization may offer alternative pathways for urban theorization.

Tourism improves rural residents ’ livelihoods, partially narrowing the urban-rural economic gap. However, the extent of the identity gap reduction necessitates further research. Drawing on Identity Process Theory (IPT), this study explores the identity change among Shangliang village residents, triggered by tourism since 2015. Employing semi-structured interviews and participant observation, this study reveals the mechanism of rural residents ’ identity construction with tourism intervention and specific representations of rural identity changes following IPT ’ s four principles. Results indicate that the developmental changes brought by rural tourism, encompassing space, livelihood, social relationships and culture, impact residents ’ identities, whose representations display dynamic and complex features. The emergence of a new hybrid identity among rural residents signifies a transformed urban-rural relationship in China. These findings deepen the understanding of how tourism-induced material changes influence rural identity, particularly the predominant role of self-esteem and self-efficacy principles of IPT in the process of rural identity construction.

This study aims to elucidate the process and internal mechanism of place identity construction in traditional villages under the impact of tourism by taking Cuandixia village as a case. The research methods comprise participatory observation and in-depth interviews with the residents. The main results are as follows: the impact of tourism on traditional villages is mainly reflected in space reconstruction, livelihood change, social relations restructuring and culture change; under the impact of tourism, the representation of residents’ identity construction shows complexity, with positive and negative effects; and the place identity construction of residents affects their perception of and attitudes toward tourism. Moreover, self-esteem and self-efficacy principles play a key role in their perception of tourism. This study provides some reference for further investigation of the tourism development model and the mental mechanism of residents in traditional villages.

Purpose: To reveal the impact mechanism of rural museum intervention on the construction of local identity of rural community residents, and provide practical reference for the protection and utilization of rural cultural identity. Methods: This study takes the Weijiapo Rural Museum in Luoyang, China as the research object, uses participatory observation and in-depth interview methods, and explains the specific characteristics of rural community resident identity construction through identity process theory (IPT). Results: (1) The impact of the intervention of rural museums on rural areas is reflected in four aspects: local spatial reconstruction, transformation of livelihood methods, reconstruction of social relationships, and evolution of cultural customs; (2) under the influence of rural museum construction, the representation of community residents’ identity has shown complex characteristics, with both positive and negative impacts coexisting; (3) the local identity of community residents affects their perception and attitude towards the construction of rural museums.

Mahatma Gandhi, after returning from South Africa, said that “if the villages perish, India will perish too. It will be no more India. Her own mission in the world will get lost”. This research paper examines how the construction of rural space, identity, and modernity in contemporary India transforms both sociological theory and rural policy. The objective is to critically analyse how traditional village studies and evolving rural realities intersect with modern development discourses. How these dynamics influence the configuration of rural identities and spaces. The study employs a qualitative methodology, focusing on critical textual analysis of foundational and contemporary village studies, policy documents, and ethnographic accounts. The research framework draws on multi-sited and political ethnographies to move beyond single-village analysis. It’s specific focus on tracking interactions between villages and state institutions such as panchayats, local administrations, and development agencies. This approach aims to illuminate how narratives of the "village" are created. This also challenged, and redefined in present-day India, anchoring the analysis on the dynamic relationship between rural representation and development. Findings show that earlier studies treated villages as static, separate units, whereas recent work views them as fluid, socially constructed places. Here, identity, modernity, and development are always in negotiation. Insights from the sociology of space, postcolonial studies, and development theory reveal that the village is shaped by both state policies and changes such as migration, globalization, and new social aspirations. The study concludes that viewing villages through these new lenses is vital for understanding rural change and shaping better development policies.

Based on group cultural identity theory and environmental psychology, this study employs a mixed-methods design to systematically analyze the mechanisms through which Chinese rural literature contributes to the construction of rural group psychological belonging. The research selected 95 classic rural literary works as textual corpus, combined with questionnaire surveys of 300 readers and in-depth interviews with 30 representative individuals. Using content analysis, thematic analysis, and statistical analysis methods, the study thoroughly explores the intrinsic connections between literary representation and group identity.The findings reveal: (1) Rural literature stimulates group cultural identity through multi-dimensional construction of environmental psychological imagery, with the emotional resonance index of natural environment descriptions reaching 4.8 points, and historical retrospective narratives showing an extremely strong positive correlation with collective memory intensity (r=0.856); (2) Character portrayal strengthens social role identification through archetypal significance and psychological projection, with typical character archetypes significantly correlating with readers' psychological identification (r=0.681), and kinship network density coefficient reaching 0.842; (3) Narrative discourse effectively delineates group psychological boundaries through strategies including dialect vernacular, value judgments, and narrative perspectives, with dialect usage density significantly correlating with group identity intensity (r=0.823); (4) Group identification mechanisms demonstrate three-dimensional integrated characteristics of cognition, emotion, and behavior, forming a complete identity construction system through environmental cognitive frameworks, emotional resonance stimulation, and behavioral norm guidance; (5) Literary representation and real-world psychology form a dynamic relationship of interactive construction, where literary works both reflect actual group psychology and exert an active constructive influence on group identity through cognitive schema shaping, emotional pattern guidance, and behavioral norm establishment. This research provides new theoretical perspectives for understanding the social psychological functions of literature and offers practical guidance for rural cultural construction and group identity cultivation.

igration is a phenomenon, widely researched by social sciences from different angles. However, this book is not about this phenomenon, but is rather a pragmatic, objective and at the same time subjective introspection of the discourses and narratives of migration, and of how these “stories” shift, in turn, the social definitions. The book proposes a constructivist approach in considering migration and identity as two related concepts and how identities are constructed and, we suggest, reconciled with the realities of rural communities. It basically brings a new subjective perspective and knowledge about assimilation and transnationalism, and relates to issues that are documented at theoretical and pragmatic level, albeit from the individuals’ perspective on integration and dealing with political, social or even psychological borders. The volume draws attention and contributes to new knowledge about the shared issues of migrants and stayers alike, leaving open the promise of return migration, while each migrant is faced with new relations and social environments, as well as with new social categories, representing the sometimes looked for or cautiously approached ‘otherness’.

No abstract available

The transformation of rural spaces into tourism destinations often reshapes the identity of local communities and their interaction with physical and social landscapes. This study examines the evolving subject identity within the growing spatial context of Sidomulyo Village, known for its flourishing flower market. Employing a qualitative case study approach, this research explores how tourism development has influenced the socio-cultural, economic, and spatial dimensions of the village. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, field observations, and document analysis to identify key factors shaping identity construction. Findings reveal that the village's transition to a tourism hub fosters both opportunities and challenges, with local identity being negotiated between traditional agricultural roots and emerging market demands. The study contributes to broader discourses on rural tourism development, spatial dynamics, and community identity, offering insights into sustainable practices for balancing growth with cultural preservation.

Abstract Urban sprawl is the rapid expansion of the city towards the suburbs and the countryside, and it happens for various reasons. The first one is of residential nature, and is a result of growing population density while others are of political, economic, and social nature. There is no doubt that the city's encroachment towards the countryside and the emergence of new patterns of construction such as buildings and transportation networks have more drawbacks than advantages, in developing countries, especially in the absence of planning. This phenomenon causes the rise of real estate prices that leads to a change in the direction of its use while decreasing the green areas that are considered the lungs of cities and thus leading to environmental damage, pollution, and destruction of the countryside. This expansion also obliterates the identity and characteristics of the countryside, leading to the loss of its aesthetics and heritage. In addition, urban sprawl also threatens its original inhabitants and may force them to be displaced (force migration) due to the loss of their land, their lifestyle, and their work sometimes. The main aim of this research is: control or slow down the urban city sprawl, and preserve the countryside’s identity and its specificities. This urban encroachment can be controlled by administrative and legal methods, and in various sustainable ways, through planning based on academic and scientific studies including the issuance of laws to amend the investment ratio in the city and in the countryside. This strategy of this research will expose sustainable methods in order to develop and improve the economic return of rural areas by investing in a productive agricultural sector, or in a tourism sector that makes the countryside a destination for leisure and comfort for the city's residents. On this basis, we can stop or slow down the encroachment of the city and preserve the social, environmental, aesthetic, and characteristics of the countryside.

As an emerging digital medium, short videos boast a user base of nearly 1.1 billion, accounting for 95.5% of internet users. This study focuses on youth who have migrated from rural areas to cities for higher education. Through semi-structured in-depth interviews and textual analysis, it reveals that short videos significantly influence the construction of rural memory among youth through three key mechanisms: symbolic representation, identity formation, and group solidarity. The rural symbolic elements in short videos trigger memories and emotional resonance with rural culture among youth, while the comment sections serve as important spaces for expressing rural sentiments. Short videos provide a new avenue for youth to reflect on their rural roots and seek cultural origins, thereby promoting the inheritance and development of rural culture. In the future, the role of short videos in constructing rural memory among youth is expected to become even more prominent.

This article explores how Afro-Colombian rural communities in the Caribbean region reclaim their territorial rights through the social construction of habitat. Drawing on four years of participatory action research with the Ma-Majarí Community Council in El Níspero, Montes de María, the study analyzes how traditional housing practices—rooted in ancestral knowledge, oral traditions, and collective memory—function as tools of cultural affirmation, political resistance, and re-peasantization in a post-conflict context. The research highlights the strategic role of Life Plans (Planes de Vida) as instruments of self-governance and territorial justice, challenging extractive development models and institutional neglect. Through visual ethnography, architectural surveys, and community-led housing initiatives, the study reveals how Afro-rural architecture embodies autonomy, resilience, and the right to remain in territory. Housing is not merely a physical structure but a living system of identity, memory, and future-making. This work contributes to broader debates on rural social movements, ethnodevelopment, and post-conflict reconstruction, proposing an architecture of recognition that centers cultural specificity and community agency.

ABSTRACT The urban–rural gap remains to be one fundamental inequality in modern China; however, the symbolic boundary derived from such socioeconomic inequality is less examined. Centre on two parallel initiatives aimed at cultural empowerment for rural China—independent bookstores and public-subsidized libraries—this study tries to explicate the multidimensional nature of boundaries and emphasize the cultural mechanism of boundary reproduction under institutional layering environment. We draw from policy trajectories, media discourse, and first-hand interviews in two villages, and reveal that despite the idealized portrayal of bookstores as a public cultural centre for empowerment, the symbolic construction wielded by cultural entrepreneurs is not sufficient in dissolving social differences in a digitalized society. Local villagers are not part of the “cultural consumption as identity building” ritual therefore being excluded from an urban-and-consumption culture-oriented space. Moreover, local villagers adopt differentiated interpretive strategies towards culture-led regeneration projects, so that “rural culture” is merely the swirl of an empty signal in Baudrillard’s sense that does not bear the symbolic efficacy promoted by top-down initiatives.

No abstract available

Benuaq Dayak is an ethnic group originating from Kutai Kertanegara, East Kalimantan. The uniqueness of the Benuaq Dayak community traditions is represented in a novel entitled Ceremony written by Korrie Layun Rampan. This novel displays the cultural background of the Dayak people in the interior of Kalimantan. It describes a series of ceremonies performed by the Dayak people in their social life. Various traditional ceremonies in this tribe still exist today. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method and uses symbolic theory to examine the meaning of several features of Benuaq Dayak traditional ceremonies. The results of the study show several kinds of symbolic features in ceremonies such as: Balian dance presents symbolic meanings as a form of hope, Kewangkey ceremony represents social esteem. Nalin Taun embodies the purification of the soul and forgiveness of sins, the last one is  Pelulung or marriage ceremony which is followed by a gantar which symbolizes happiness and a symbol of friendship between the two villages.

This study explores the transformation of Kungkurung music among the Dayak Meratus community in Piani Village, Tapin Regency, South Kalimantan, from its origin as an agrarian ritual toward a contemporary form of cultural performance. Employing a qualitative ethnographic approach, data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation to reveal the symbolic, social, and pedagogical dimensions of Kungkurung. The findings demonstrate that Kungkurung functions as a medium of collective identity formation and ecological spirituality, reflecting Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus and Merriam’s tripartite framework of music as concept, behavior, and sound. The shift from ritual to public performance exemplifies Jeff Todd Titon’s idea of “continuity in change,” indicating that the community’s adaptation preserves traditional meanings while embracing new socio-cultural contexts. Ethnopedagogically, Kungkurung embodies four educational values collectively, discipline, spirituality, and ecological harmony that sustain intergenerational transmission of cultural wisdom. The study concludes that Kungkurung represents not merely a musical expression but an evolving pedagogical system that integrates art, environment, and social cohesion, thus contributing to cultural sustainability and character education rooted in local wisdom.

This study explores religious tolerance between the Chinese-Indonesian and Muslim communities in Keude Siblah Village, Southwest Aceh. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation. The findings reveal that religious tolerance in this village is a lived reality, visible in shared participation in village activities, mutual respect for religious holidays, and inclusive social solidarity. Rather than stemming from formal regulations, this tolerance has evolved through long-standing symbolic interactions rooted in local history and culture. Local institutions—including the village government, customary councils, religious leaders, and women’s groups—play essential roles in sustaining social harmony. However, minority religious expressions remain culturally constrained, often practiced in private. The main challenges include limited structural representation for the Chinese community and increasing intolerance among youth influenced by digital media. The study concludes that local religious tolerance is a negotiated social construct that requires structural support to be sustained. The findings highlight the need to integrate multicultural values into village policies and local education.

The primary objective of this study is to explore the symbolic representation of Wolaita cultural houses. To achieve this, a descriptive research design was employed, utilizing qualitative methods. Data were collected through unstructured and semi-structured interviews, participant and non-participant observation, and focus group discussions (FGDs). Key informants were selected from the Ofa, Sodo Zuriya, Humbo, and Kawo Koysha districts (woredas) of the Wolaita Zone using snowball and purposive sampling techniques. A total of 20 individuals participated in the data collection: 16 older men and 4 older women. They were chosen for their extensive knowledge of Wolaita cultural housing styles and their symbolic representations. The study’s findings revealed that socio-economic changes and the integrated development of urban and rural areas have profoundly impacted the development model of rural areas. These changes are reflected in adjustments to resident structures, shifts in production and lifestyles, evolving housing patterns, and altered urban-rural relations. Despite the influence of modernization on Wolaita’s cultural houses, the Wolaita people historically had four distinct housing styles: zufa, meeshuwa, burariya, and gulantta. While these traditional Wolaita houses appear similar externally, their internal structures differ significantly in design, layout, construction materials, and aesthetic values. The study also indicates a strong communal unity within the Wolaita ethnic group, primarily reflected in the materials used for house construction. Furthermore, the study showed that these housing styles developed after periods when people lived under trees, in caves, and within rocks of various shapes. Interestingly, the Wolaita cultural house is also connected to the spiritual world. The shapes of these four housing styles are believed to bestow blessings upon both men and women. This is particularly evident in a closet reserved for women, symbolizing potential grace, while men are primarily assigned to a dining room, where dignity and grace are attained by adhering to Wolaita cultural norms.

Social isolation and loneliness are common experiences of ageing in rural communities. Policy responses and interventions for social isolation and loneliness in later life are shaped by sociocultural understandings of place, relationships and social interaction. This study examined how representations of rural community in Ireland influenced the focus, relationships and activities within a befriending intervention designed to tackle social isolation and loneliness. Through a qualitative case study conducted in 2014, the symbolic meaning of the intervention was explored using interviews and focus groups with participants (8 befriended, 11 befrienders and 3 community workers) from one befriending programme in rural Ireland. Reflected in the programme was a representation of a rural community in decline with concern for the impact on older people. There was a valuing of the traditional community defined by geographical place, perceptions of similarity among its members, and values of solidarity and mutual support. The befriending intervention represented a commitment to intra-community solidarity and a desire by many for authentic befriending relationships that mirrored understandings of relationships within the traditional community. Identifying and alleviating social isolation and loneliness imply a set of normative values about community and the optimal social relationships within community. This paper proposes that there is a need to consider the role played by understandings of community in shaping context-sensitive interventions to counter social isolation and loneliness in later life.

This study examines how pro-rural migrants in China reshape rural spaces by establishing ecological farms and their interactions with local villagers. We conceptualize farm spaces as socially constructed sites where differentiated spatial practices mediate rural integration and exclusion. Based on fieldwork in peri-urban Nanjing, we identified three types of farm spaces—exurban, ideal rural, and cosmopolitan—each generating distinct patterns of migrant–local relations. This study highlights how ecological farms operate both as economic ventures and as arenas of spatial negotiation, where power, class, and rural imaginaries are contested. By analyzing everyday interactions across social and spatial boundaries, this study contributes to the understanding of pro-rural migration amid counter-urbanization, critical debates on the rural incorporation of migrants in the era of increasing mobility, and spatial justice in contemporary China.

Counter-urbanization in China is a unique phenomenon shaped by state-led policies, including the Rural Revitalization Strategy and the Yangtze River Delta Regional Plan. These initiatives aim to address urban-rural disparities through industrial decentralization, infrastructure improvement, and regional development. Unlike Western market-driven models, counter-urbanization in China has led to the emergence of hybrid spaces that integrate urban and rural functions, reshaping traditional spatial boundaries. Economic drivers, such as rising living costs in megacities and policy incentives, intersect with cultural shifts, including environmental awareness and rural nostalgia, to influence migration patterns. However, challenges such as environmental degradation, social inequalities, and uneven development persist. By integrating spatial, socio-economic, and policy perspectives, this study highlights the transformative potential of counter-urbanization in promoting sustainable development. It underscores significant implications for policy frameworks that advance participatory governance and equitable urban-rural integration aligned with regional contexts.

Counter-urbanization, or the reverse migration from the city to the countryside, is a well-known demographic trend associated with rural restructuring since the 1980s. Counter-urbanization is particularly relevant in social-ecological systems with a long history of human land use, such as the Mediterranean ones. However, the extent and impacts of this phenomenon are largely unknown, particularly in this region. We aim to review the state of the issue of counter-urbanization in the Mediterranean region. We focus on the particular determinants and outcomes of this phenomenon in Mediterranean landscapes. We conducted a bibliographic review using the Web of Science. We summarized and classified the main findings in different categories according to the socio-economic drivers of this process and its impacts on the landscape along the land sharing-sparing gradient. We found 31 studies that met the criteria to be reviewed and classified them as follows: a first group of studies focused on counter-urbanization as an urban sprawl driver; a second group linked counter-urbanization to rural gentrification. These two groups point to a twofold trend of land intensification or abandonment resulting in land-sparing landscapes. A third group of studies explored the urban–rural migration motivated by economic crisis and rural areas’ role as refugees that support land-sharing landscapes. A fourth group focused on multi-functional, land-sharing landscapes enhanced by rural newcomers. Although counter-urbanization can follow the usual path of urbanization and gentrification, it may also constitute an alternative way to reverse the current trends of rural abandonment and land-use intensification in Mediterranean landscapes. Public policies play a major role to drive this movement toward the maintenance or recovery of multifunctional landscapes, and to minimize their undesirable impacts.

Building upon Peter Rossi’s foundational research on migrationmotivations in the 1950s, this study examines the main reasons for counterurbanizationmoves. Rossi, employing the reason analysis methodology pioneeredby Paul Felix Lazarsfeld, identified core factors influencing relocation decisions.We utilize a similar approach, adapted to the contemporary context, toexplore the composition of motives for counterurbanization movements andcompare Rossi’s findings with data collected in recent years. This comparativeanalysis sheds light on how the main motives for relocation have changedover time.The research explores the factors driving individuals to pursue lifestylechanges through migration, analysing the relative importance of variousmotivations in the current landscape. While our findings suggest that core factorslike physical space (size) and home ownership remain relevant, the socialenvironment holds a different significance today. Unlike the past focus on thesocial status of neighbours, contemporary lifestyle migrants prioritize howa location aligns with their occupational and leisure pursuits. Hobbies, whichoften contribute to household income, now factor into the social environmentequation, shaping the desired community characteristics. By examininghistorical and contemporary trends, this study reveals the evolving natureof human mobility and the factors shaping people’s decisions to relocate forimproved quality of life.

Introduction: Environmental data play a crucial role in social change, especially in ancient Yemen, where the natural environment is closely linked to ancient civilizations. The development of tribal areas in Yemen, such as Saba and Hamir, has been affected by the growth of trade, handicrafts and traditional industries. The integration of the natural environment has led to the growth of maritime navigation and the establishment of modern industrial and administrative units. Urbanization in these areas has diversified the components of tribal populations, requiring new social, political, economic and legal regulation. The population also had to adapt to modern standards and regulations, such as monetary handling in the labour market and production. The geographical and environmental dimension plays a significant role in the emergence and expansion of cities, which are often found in fertile and resource-abundant locations. Urban development in the Arabian Peninsula has a long history dating back to ancient times. The region has witnessed the first civilization in history and has witnessed significant urbanization. The middle Ages experienced significant urban development, with cities reaching unprecedented sizes. The nineteenth century saw a new phase of urban development, with urban land subject to economic processes, including competition. The discovery and extraction of oil in the twentieth century led to the emergence of new cities, highlighting the current urban landscape. The Arab population has grown rapidly, rising from 13% in 1900 to 49% in 2005(according to the Central Bureau of Statistics). Today, the Arab city community is a mix of cultures and nationalities, with institutions replacing the family, the warmer and the tribe in different societies. Aspects of life and social systems. It is estimated that half of the Arab population inhabits urban areas because of urban growth and urbanization, a health phenomenon that is indicative of civilized development and economic and social growth. Methodology: The physical changes in the Republic of Yemen and the identification of the city of Aden were studied by reviewing the studies that monitored these changes and their social, economic and population effects. The study relied on secondary data in the first place. Results: this research was conducted to study The Influence of Urbanization on Social Dynamics in Yemen: Insights from Environmental and Climate Data, we find that urban society's relationship with the natural environment influences its social and cultural environment, influenced by collective and individual traditions and economic habits. Rural societies are more connected to the natural environment, while urban communities live in relative isolation, resulting in a dominant social and human environment. Discussion: Urban growth refers to the physical framework for society's stability and existence, indicating social well-being and basic needs such as housing, water security, energy, and transportation. In the Arab world, urbanization dates back to ancient times, with cities growing up in the Arabian Peninsula. The Middle Ages saw major urban development, while the 19th century saw rapid urban population growth. Today, half of the Arab population is urban, reflecting civilization's development and economic and social growth. Yemen is experiencing significant urbanization, transforming from an urban environment to a diverse, modern society, influenced by social construction and cultural values. The natural environment influences social and cultural environments, with rural societies being more connected to it. Urbanization requires preserving rural social characteristics, strengthening inhabitants' sense of belonging, and promoting participation in community development plans. Spatial justice and regional balance are crucial in developing world urban environments, as they help overcome alienation and promote collective affiliation.

The antigentrification campaign has gained global attention because it is crucial for realising social justice, particularly against displacement. Numerous literature has focused on government management, however, there is a dearth of research on the resistance undertaken by the potential displacees. Therefore, this paper explores villagers' survivability when facing displacement threats within China's guanxi society. The guanxi provides a fresh lens on Chinese social development, distiling intergroup relationships into four states that reveal power dynamics within gentrification and enable a nuanced analysis of displacement and resistance. The case of Xiaozhou Village is examined, tracing villagers' living dynamics over the past three decades. The study reveals that villagers have effectively resisted sociocultural displacement pressure and exclusionary displacement by maintaining or preserving their fields. Guanxi provides a perspective for examining how villagers legally possess capital, engage in habitus‐driven competition against gentrifiers, and ultimately support their community cohesion. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the uneven micro‐geopolitics of gentrification and offers insights into the effective mitigation of displacement.

Many small, peripheral rural tourist destinations face extremely tight housing markets, which makes it increasingly difficult for local residents and urgently needed seasonal workers to find reasonably priced accommodation. The North Sea island of Sylt is used here as the “most advanced observation post” to illustrate the breadth and depth of local problems attributed to the shortage of affordable, permanent housing. The case of Sylt shows how housing market dynamics threaten to undermine the economic, demographic, social, and infrastructural foundations of community life. The description of this phenomenon and the definition of the term and process of “syltification” is intended to make a complementary contribution to research on gentrification processes.

The article delves into the intricate dynamics of amenity migration and rural gentrification, investigating the challenges that arise when residents and newcomers encounter. Amenity migration, which occurs when individuals relocate to an area in search of desirable features, often leads to rural gentrification. This process involves economic and social changes brought about by the arrival of wealthier residents. While amenity migration can bring economic advantages, it also presents difficulties such as displacement and cultural transformations within the community. The study recognizes the concept of "otherness" is introduced to shed light on potential cultural and social conflicts between amenity migrants and the existing community. With a specific focus on British immigrants in Fethiye, Türkiye, the research aims to unravel how these immigrants establish connections with the place. It explores whether they identify themselves as locals or tourists and examines their sense of belonging within the spatial context. In order to comprehend the relational generation of distinctiveness based on person and place attributes in connection with relevant entities, the decision-tree method is employed. Moreover, an ANOVA matrix is used to recognize the most effective decision mechanisms among spatial and demographic attributes.

Rural gentrification is a significant issue in rural sustainable development that can impact many aspects of rural areas, such as the transformation of the rural class structure and changes in the rural housing structure. This study is based on the concept of rural gentrification and uses Yuanshan Township in Yilan, Taiwan, to examine whether the study area faces rural gentrification. This research conducts questionnaire surveys and social network analysis to understand the characteristics and implications of rural gentrification. The results identify age, education, and residence duration as differentiating factors between original residents and gentrifiers. Additionally, factors influencing rural gentrification encompass distinct living environments, natural landscapes, diversity, historical aspects, prices, and recreational facilities, contributing to the choice of purchasing farmhouses in Yuanshan Township.

No abstract available

Ecological restoration has been considered and implemented as an effective approach to reverse land degradation, particularly in vulnerable drylands. While there has been a large body of research focusing on the ecological and economic benefits of these projects, few studies have focused specifically on the intangible socio‐cultural values like cultural heritage, identity, and social cohesion in these areas. The difficulty in quantifying these values lies in their subjective perception among individuals and keep changing dynamic social contexts. Therefore, it remains unclear about how local inhabitants perceive the intangible cultural and social benefits provided by dryland ecosystems and how this perception impact community well‐being. This study employs the Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) framework to evaluate how rural communities perceive the intangible benefits under ecological restoration. We re‐classify the commonly used ten types of CES into four main categories, auto‐responsive/intrinsic, behaviors, meanings and personal. We conducted 466 semi‐structured household interviews across 17 representative villages in Yan'an, China's Loess Plateau region. Through latent class analysis, we identified three distinct perception patterns of CES. Results revealed universal recognition of all CES types, with education and income significantly influencing their perceptions. Certain landscapes like grasslands and villages strongly shaped “sense of place” and social connections, while wetlands and waterfalls had minimal impact. Social engagement, particularly employment, enhanced CES recognition, whereas religious activities showed limited influence. This exploratory study examines the social dynamics of perceived intangible values in dryland ecosystem restoration. Our innovation lies in applying the CES framework to assess these values in dryland areas, using latent class analysis to identify three perception categories linked to demographics, landscapes, and activities. This approach offers targeted suggestions for enhancing CES, supporting ecological restoration policies that value both nature and culture. While our study establishes a foundation, further long‐term research is needed to fully understand the relationship between CES perceptions and ecological restoration outcomes.

Rural gentrification is increasingly reshaping the socio-economic and environmental landscapes of peri-urban areas in Nigeria, yet its impacts on liveability remain underexplored. This study examines the dynamics of gentrification in Badagry, Lagos, focusing on drivers, socio-economic impacts, housing and displacement, environmental sustainability, and cultural heritage implications. Literature suggests gentrification often leads to mixed outcomes for communities, influencing housing affordability, community cohesion, and environmental resources. Employing a mixed-methods approach with surveys (n=300), key informant interviews (n=20), and focus group discussions (n=4), the research reveals gentrification in Badagry driven by proximity to Lagos, infrastructure development, and cultural heritage/tourism. Findings indicate economic opportunities alongside challenges like increased housing costs (75%), displacement risks (62%), environmental strain, and changes in community dynamics. The study concludes gentrification has mixed impacts on liveability in Badagry, requiring balanced development approaches. Recommendations include promoting affordable housing, balancing development with cultural preservation and environmental sustainability, enhancing community engagement, and employing adaptive policy approaches.

Rural areas are rich in natural and cultural heritage and continuously attract new settlers and tourists worldwide. With heritage management and tourism development, rural gentrification in these areas has changed the social structure and appearance of specific villages. Heritage-led rural gentrification has remained largely unexplored. To understand the heritage–village relationship in heritage-led rural gentrification areas, this paper proposes an analytical framework for evaluating their relationship and constructs a set of quantitative evaluation indicators from spatial, socio-economic, and cultural dimensions, which is applied to the Badaling section of the Great Wall in China. This study quantifies the degree of correlation between the 15 villages and heritage. The findings indicate that the relationship between heritage and adjacent villages is influenced by many factors, including the distance between villages and the Great Wall, the mature scenic area, transportation conditions, online effects of social media, self-development ability, and state power. Although the spatial relationship is determined by historical factors that are currently unchangeable, the socio-economic and cultural relationships are more influenced by villages’ current development conditions. This study enhances the understanding of heritage–village relationship in heritage-led rural gentrification areas, which is helpful for understanding the synergy between heritage and rural communities worldwide.

ABSTRACT Academic literature identifies local food networks and producer-consumer communities as important initiators of local community development and sources of sustainable production and consumption. A small producer-consumer community, a so-called shopping community, in a small rural town in Hungary is examined in this case study. The size of the region and the limited number of potential consumers lead to a number of specific characteristics. Both the organisers and many of the producers in this shopping community are urban newcomers to the region, and are members of higher social status groups in the local society. The initiative is based on a number of principles and methods of environmental sustainability and applies very strict criteria for the involvement of the producers. Through interviews with organisers and producers and focus groups with consumers and local stakeholders, the case study analyses aspects of social inclusion and exclusion. Who is allowed to participate in the community, both to produce and to consume? How embedded is this shopping community in the local society? The case illustrates how a shopping community – a local food network – can contribute to the social exclusion of local producers and consumers, as well as to the process of rural gentrification, even though it also contributes to environmental sustainability. The article explores the pros and cons of local food systems from a social and community point of view.

Chinese heritage sports play a crucial role in cultural preservation and rural governance, fostering social cohesion and intergenerational continuity. However, these sports face challenges due to modernization, migration, and intergenerational conflicts, which threaten their transmission and integration into contemporary governance frameworks. This study aims to explore the role of Chinese heritage sports in rural governance from an intergenerational perspective. Specifically, it investigates the mechanisms of intergenerational conflict affecting heritage sports and their implications for rural governance practices. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a literature review with field investigations conducted in L Village, Fujian. The study utilized participatory observation and in-depth interviews with local stakeholders, including village administrators, cultural practitioners, and residents, to analyze the transmission, challenges, and governance potential of the traditional "Songjiang Formation" heritage sport. The study reveals that intergenerational conflicts in heritage sports arise from shifts in values, marginalization due to modernization, and policy discrepancies. The transformation from familial to institutionalized and market-driven transmission models has weakened traditional mentorship structures. However, successful revitalization efforts in L Village demonstrate that heritage sports can serve as a medium for moral governance, social integration, and rural self-governance when supported by grassroots initiatives and policy interventions. Chinese heritage sports hold significant potential for fostering rural governance by bridging generational gaps and strengthening community ties. Addressing intergenerational conflicts through innovation, policy alignment, and participatory governance can ensure their sustainable transmission and contribution to rural modernization. Future governance models should integrate heritage sports into broader socio-economic and cultural development frameworks to enhance rural resilience and cohesion.

ABSTRACT This paper presents an autoethnographic process of social design practice conducted over 3 years, spanning seven cases across four Chinese villages. In the processes, the social designer documented, shared, and reflected on the diaries, which in turn generated new knowledge and informed adaptive actions within design processes. They are presented through five vignettes under two themes of ‘Gaze’ and ‘Identity’. Through collaborative analysis of the field materials, this paper proposes an autoethnographic process consisting of five non-linear phases for social design practice: Notice, Evoke, Make Sense, Unlearn, and Act On. It further argues that the proposed framework could enable social designers to stay alert to potential gaps and misalignments, negotiate complex layers of proximity, self-care, and foster collaborative knowledge production among multiple selves and others. By emphasising the designer’s subjectivity and personal experience within the field, autoethnography facilitates a profound understanding of social interactions and power dynamics, thereby enriching the creation of situated knowledge and fostering innovative interventions.

Based on the background of China’s social development in the new era and the realistic needs of rural revitalization and sustainable tourism development, this paper takes typical rural tourism destinations in Huzhou city, Zhejiang Province and Huangshan city, Anhui Province as examples, and discusses the influence mechanism of rural tourism gentrification using grounded theory. The results show that the driving mechanism of rural tourism gentrification acts on rural areas through different ways, promoting the development and evolution of rural tourism gentrification. The interactive influence mechanism of rural tourism gentrification advances the sustainable development of rural tourism and rural revitalization. This study enriches the research on rural tourism gentrification and provides theoretical support and practical reference for rural revitalization and the sustainable development of rural tourism.

The decrease in the number of male workers in the rural shallot agricultural sector, including in Enrekang Regency, has encouraged the increasing role of women as farm laborers. However, their involvement is often faced with a double problem, namely, low levels of education, unequal access to resources, and the burden of domestic roles that go hand in hand with productive responsibilities. This study aims to analyze the socio-economic dynamics of women farm workers, especially related to work motivation, wage system, dual role adaptation strategies, and social relationships with landowners in the shallot farming system. The research method uses a qualitative approach with a case study design in Banti Village, Enrekang Regency, South Sulawesi. Respondents were selected using purposive sampling techniques, consisting of 15 female farm workers (aged 40–60 years) and five productive landowners. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, participatory observation over two harvest cycles, and document studies, then analyzed using the Miles-Huberman interactive model with source triangulation techniques. The results show that the primary motivation of female farm workers is to meet the economic needs of their families, even though they have a low educational background. The mutually agreed daily wage system is considered fair and capable of creating social stability. In addition, trust-based recruitment patterns, harmonious relationships with landowners, and the provision of non-material benefits strengthen social capital in agricultural communities. Time management strategies and family support, especially from husbands, allow women to remain productive despite taking on dual roles. These findings underscore the importance of gender-responsive and local wisdom-based policies to improve the welfare of women farm workers and the sustainability of small-scale farming systems in rural areas.

. Under the long-term rural outflow to cities, urban migration to rural areas, especially of those not changing urban registration or staying in the countryside seasonally, is almost invisible. However, the influx of new residents affects rural areas greatly since city dwellers have rich social capital and other resources to transform the countryside. Foreign researchers suggest the term ‘rural gentrification’ to describe such processes. On the example of the Verkhovazhsky district of the Vologda oblast, the author shows how city dwellers participate in different spheres of the rural economic and social life or introduce new types of activities that could be characterized as sprouts of rural modernization if not for their close connection with the traditional rural life. The paper is based on the field studies conducted from 2019 to 2023, combining in-depth and expert interviews with participant observation. In the villages of the Vaga valley, there are guest houses, a center for wood-fired ceramics, a base for restorers of wooden architecture and other facilities created by city dwellers. At the same time, former city residents work in the rural social infrastructure — schools, cultural centers, shops, administrations, offering rural residents new, urban practices (public lectures, book crossing, separate waste collection, second-hand stores). On the one hand, former city residents contribute to changes in certain aspects of rural life; on the other hand, they adopt elements of rural lifestyle, which is manifested in clothing, everyday practices, and way of thinking.

The phenomena of tourist gentrification, the processes of metropolisation, and the amenity migration identified in the Alps invite us to examine the power dynamics in high-altitude tourist valleys through a geographical approach. Are there spatial segregations between permanent residents, seasonal workers, and second-home owners within tourist municipalities or in the valleys? The perspective offered by the quantitative and qualitative data collected in two Phd researches—one focusing on residential trajectories in the high Alpine valleys (2019) and the other on the resort municipalities (2024)—highlights a mechanism of valley’ social descender in the past decade, specifically a movement of permanent residents downstream or elsewhere in the valleys. Tourist accommodation (second homes, the pied-à-terre of valley-born residents, seasonal housing) creates a highly competitive real estate market at high altitudes, where land value appreciation can generate residential mobility, leading to social restructuring in the valleys. The study of power relations helps to understand how interactions between actors who live in and shape the development of the mountains might contribute to altitude-based gentrification and provoke valley’ social descender in the valley. The interplay between stakeholders oscilliate between, on one hand, support for a growth coalition based on profit, upgrading, and rent-seeking, and, on the other hand, efforts to preserve year-round local living standards that includes all social groups.

Rural construction has been paid attention to by the country, and different strategies have been adopted at different stages. The rural revitalization proposed in the new era is a comprehensive revitalization including culture. Based on the three spatial concepts of space perception, space conception and space reproduction proposed by Lefebvre, the article takes the construction of the sensible space, conceptual space and living space of rural culture as the important content of the reconstruction of rural cultural space. From the ecological, historical and subjective perspective of the rural cultural space, this paper explores the internal logic of the reconstruction of the modern rural cultural space. That is, to follow the ecological balance of the cultural space, and to meet the living requirements of the cultural space. Rural cultural space reconstruction should respect its the historical tradition and awaken the memory of homesickness. At same time, there is rural residents’ cultural consciousness. Cultural reconstruction needs toreflect their subjective status.

This study aims to clarify how the essence of life consciousness, which is the origin of Park Kyung-ni's literature, has merged with the temporal changes and regional uniqueness amidst the situation where the rural uniqueness is destroyed and eroded under the equation that modernization is synonymous with urbanization. By elucidating the spatiality of Pyeongsari, a literary space, and revealing its spatial characteristics, the study seeks to shed light on Park Kyung-ni's perception of the regional identity inherent in the rural setting of her novel “Toji.” In literature, space serves as a concrete setting where events take place, but at the same time, it unveils the characters' existence, intimacy, hierarchy, and human relationships that unfold throughout the events and narratives. The accumulated history and culture in a space, as well as the sum of those elements, which can be called regional identity, provide clues for understanding. The spatial background of “Toji” encompasses various locations, including Pyeongsa-ri in Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do, as well as Seoul, Jinju, Tongyeong, and Busan in South Korea, and even extending to Manchuria, Yongjeong, and Harbin. This extensive spatial movement not only expands the narrative but also reveals the trajectories of each character's life. The changes in perceptionand interpersonal relationships resulting from spatial movementserve as crucial clues for understanding the characters. Inparticular, Pyeongsa-ri, the central spatial backdrop of “Toji,” is ageographically real place, but within the work, the space becomes avirtual space based on the author's literary imagination. Therefore,literary space enhances narrative progression through descriptionsthat reveal interactions between characters, the naturalenvironment, traditions, culture, customs, and human relationshipsthat exist in that space. The representation of regional awarenessin the rural setting portrayed in “Toji” demonstrates its characteristics as a “community of shared destiny” that serves asthe “foundation of life” and evolves into a “community of solidarityand care,” always providing a place of belonging and return.

No abstract available

Discussions of space, place and intersectionality have been present in rural studies since the early 2010s. Drawing upon the ‘relational turn’ in rural sociology and geography, this research has tended to focus on the ways in which the materiality of rural space interlocks with the connective lines of the various identity markers (e.g., ‘race’, gender, classed, able‐bodied, sexuality and so on) of the body to produce criss‐crossing and rhizomic assemblages and networks of rurality that has ability to produce inclusionary and/or exclusionary experiences of the rural based on the social locatedness of the individual. This article argues such theorising of rural intersectionality does not foreground rurality enough. Instead, it has the tendency to reproduce intersectional thinking in ‘additive’ ways within the rural literature. The purpose of this article is to provide a philosophical intervention to the debates in rural sociology and geography on intersectionality. Merleau‐Ponty's concept of embodied perception will be deployed to theorise rural as an identity category, which is always already inscribed with ‘raced’, gendered, heteronormative, abled‐bodied and classed configurations because of the historicity of the motor intentionality of the body. Here, I argue that the rural is an extension of the body in which it gets to know itself as an included (being‐towards‐the‐rural) or excluded (being‐away‐from‐the‐rural) being due to its pre‐reflexive bodily habituation and orientation. Such theorising sees rural as an impregnated reversibility with the identification demarcations of the body—opposed to being ontologically criss‐cross and rhizomatic as understood in the current relational literature on rural and rural intersectionality—and thus repositioning rurality as an inherently intersectional category/concept.

ABSTRACT In this article, I discuss how families living in remote rural settings of northwestern Sweden construct and maintain a sense of place through different ways of relating to time in their everyday lives. The study introduces ‘time-richness’ as a timescape, describing the balance between calm rhythms and fast-paced activities that enhance participants’ perceptions of ‘being in the right place’. It is suggested that there is a resistance among rural inhabitants against temporal hierarchies in society that are based on urban norms. This paper contributes to discussions on spatial justice, place identity, and the temporal aspects of rural childhoods. It highlights the interconnections between time, space, and place in shaping rural experiences, with a focus on the distinct challenges and opportunities offered by specific locations.

Introduction In contemporary society, people spend long periods under high stress, and tourism activities have gradually been internalized as a new means of stress release and self-recovery. Studies have found that the high-quality natural environment of rural tourism destinations has a higher restorative effect than other places, and the rural natural environment can provide psychological recovery to visitors on top of offering visual beauty and other experiences. Methods This paper starts with the relationship between rural place perception and restorative experience evaluation. Based on theories such as the restorative environments theory, we investigates whether rural natural environmental factors have a restorative effect on recreationists through collecting 300 questionnaires and using SPSS 26.0 structural equation modeling for analysis. Results The study found that there is a positive correlation between rural natural perception, place dependence, and restorative experience, forming a positive feedback loop dynamic system. The analysis suggests that enhancing the perception of the rural natural environment and place attachment can improve the restorative experience of recreationists in rural settings. Discussion This research establishes a systematic research framework for the relationship between rural natural perception, place attachment, and restorative experience, to deeply understand the dynamic interaction between them. It reveals the relationship between rural natural perception and restorative experience, suggesting that enriching the perceptual elements in rural natural spaces can meet the diverse needs of recreationists, enhance the sense of dependence and identification with rural spaces, and thus promote the psychological well-being and restorative experience of recreationists. The study also finds that place dependence plays a mediating role between rural natural perception and restorative experience. Place attachment and place identity, as mediating variables, act as bridges and catalysts in the process of rural natural perception affecting restorative experience.

In this article, we examine two settlement types: a rural village and an urban neighborhood. Both settlements were built on state-owned lands, pre-planned, established over three generations ago, informed by the same planning theory, and inspired by the same national ideology. Given these similarities, we compare the values of their constructed environments. Through these values, we examine whether a village planned as a city retains its rural values, and whether an urban neighborhood can contain village construction values. The aim of this article is to examine whether the original planning has stood the test of time, in terms of rural and urban renewal. The research method involved the analysis of urban plans and observations of the built environment as a basis for evaluating the quality of the built environments. The findings and main contributions suggest that village and neighborhood planning based on optimal walking distances from the rural/urban centers and the high connectivity and visibility of both internal and external landscapes has provided both the village and neighborhood with a sound infrastructure for future changes, even decades later, and given a different set of needs. Nevertheless, whereas the village is based on a community, the neighborhood seeks to create one and, if it fails to do so, the open areas might become neglected, and the neighborhood might deteriorate. In such a case, only local activism or public intervention can improve the neighborhood’s situation. This research constitutes an additional layer to studies examining the quality of the built environment, both in general and in Israel in particular, in cities and rural settlements. The case studies are Neighborhood D in Beersheba and the moshav Nahalal, Israel.

The township of Shell in the Province of Pastaza, Ecuador was initially an exploration base and later, a missionary base for evangelization of the peoples and nationalities of the Amazon. It plays an important role in the Waorani nationality and its social, cultural and economic dynamics, especially in the Nuevo Amanecer neighborhood, which is home to approximately 43 Waorani families whose epicenter has become a strategic space for their territorial dynamics. The research, through ethnographic methodologies and field work, has allowed to establish the perception from the Waorani nationality to the urban space. During the development of this study two sources of information were applied: methodological bibliography and thematic content reference. The study of 120 members of 43 Waorani families of the Ecuadorian Amazon and a process of direct observation, as a participant observer during the years 2019-2020-2021-2022, resulted in a conceptual model Bailey (1996), where the Waorani use preferences of displacement, economic attributes of the area, location of residence, representation of the spatial-urban structure, space-action, time of stay, activity space and objective spatial structure of the urban environment; and a transect as a very effective method to recognize population movements, sectoral differences, topographic slopes and social dynamics presented in the territory from a plan and elevation view. Human beings adapt easily to new spaces, in spite of cultural and social differences, their assimilation processes will depend on their capacity to approach and accept the environment. The Nuevo Amanecer settlement has motivated families to move to peri-urban or urban spaces in intermediary cities, which has provoked a forced adaptation and assimilation due to the same processes involved in rural-urban relations.    Received: 30 May 2024 / Accepted: 21 October 2024 / Published: 05 November 2024

Police radio scanners are a common feature of homes in rural Upstate New York, but little attention has been given to how their use affects local communities. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with residents of a small town in the Adirondack Park, I examine how the scanner becomes a key factor in structuring experiences of daily life. A common feature of rural communities, the scanner positions policing at the center of everyday life, shapes perceptions of criminality and policing for those listening, and may have significant consequences for vulnerable residents. The scanner provides residents with the opportunity to develop informal networks of care, yet simultaneously limits the ability of some residents to access community and emergency services. I argue that the scanner comes to mediate contradictory structures for the town and blends police power and presence with the experience of everyday rural social life as part of broader processes that delineate, justify, and legitimize boundaries of social difference. Bridging scholarship on rural communities and police technology, this project advances a framework to understand how the scanner shapes and structures access to symbolic capital vis‐a‐vis the state and logics of policing in the name of community safety.

This paper explores how Indigenous-led research reframes the impacts and response to environmental disasters in the context of acid mine spills in rural communities of the Southwest United States. The collaborative research project addressing the Gold King Mine Spill (GKMS) designed qualitative methodologies that center Indigenous worldviews and contribute to broader understandings of environmental justice. The research team, led by Diné scholars and community leaders, gathered qualitative responses from 123 adult participants in twelve focus groups from three rural communities on the Navajo Nation. The project incorporated fluent Diné speakers and cultural consultants to lead focus groups in a manner consistent with cultural worldviews. The analysis of the focus group data resulted in original findings that reframe previous understandings of environmental harm by broadening the boundaries to include: 1) social relations across time; 2) social relations across space; 3) spiritual relations; and 4) restoring balance. The findings allow for greater insight into the colonial context of disaster on rural and Indigenous lands and confronts colonial-rooted disasters through Indigenous-informed political action.

This article explores the factors and mechanisms that underpin aspirations to stay in situations where migration could be beneficial. To do so, this article proposes a spatial–temporal comparative framework and explains aspirations to stay through the notion of relative endowment, which reveals a positive assessment of what people have, despite the awareness of social inequalities. Empirically, the article focuses on a rural town in northern Brazil that has experienced a stagnating economy since the 1990s, where young adults express aspirations to stay. Non-economic factors such as closeness to nature, family, and friends not only encourage staying, but make young people feel endowed in relation to a perceived stressful work-centered urban life. The proposed framework reveals that the overall negative perspectives on the town’s present are congruous with aspirations to stay because of young people’s positive feelings about the town’s past and future. In fact, hope plays an important role in shaping aspirations to stay. This article shows the value of considering people’s perceptions of past, present, and future and how they influence aspirations to stay, and migrate.

This post-qualitative ethnography reveals elements of childhood and learning that may remain constant across the lifetime continuum. The research occurred for 13 months on a rural peninsula in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Traditional ethnographic data collection methods included field notes, shooting scripts and photo documentation, document collection, interviews, and talks. A post-qualitative analysis produced rich narratives through the lenses of space–time physics, new materialism, and the field of Children’s Geographies. Findings indicate new ways to consider childhood and how humans across the lifespan continuously make meaning about both local environments and the greater world.

Tabanan Regency is well known as Bali’s rice granary. However, one of the villages located in an agricultural area, Pejaten Village, is famous as its tile industry. The Tabanan Regency Government has designated Pejaten Village as a rural industrial area. The successful implementation of these policies needs to be supported by preparing human and natural resources that have adequate competence and creative power. This study aims to analyze (1) community knowledge and perception about rural industria area; (2) the spatial structure of industrial village based on the Hindu’s concept of balance called Tri Hita Karana. The method of determining respondents was done by stratified random sampling. The strata are carried out based on the scale of the tile industry. Methods of data analysis using: (1) likert scala and (2) GIS. The results showed that (1) the community had quite positive attitudes and moderate perception categories regarding the policy of determining rural industrial area of Pejaten Village and (2) the spatial structure of common space had adapted from a rural space structure to an urban spatial structure. It is necessary to conduct a more intensive approach to increase moderate perception of the community.

The current study investigates the role of landscape design in homestay tourism through a transdisciplinary lens, examining how stakeholder interactions shape tourists' lodging experiences. Grounded in third space theory and the PERMA framework (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment), the research employs a qualitative research approach, combining qualitative interviews with tourists, designers, and residents, and thematic analysis to explore synergies between physical, cultural, and experiential spaces. Three interconnected spaces emerge: the first space (design-driven allure), the second space (residents' vision for quality), and the third space (tourists' interactive experiences). The PERMA analysis reveals that the third space is enriched when the first and second spaces collaborate, fostering emotional, relational, and meaningful engagement. It provides actionable insights for stakeholders to co-create value and enhance tourist well-being through intentional design and collaboration.

Landscapes are changing, with rural areas becoming increasingly urbanized. Children and adolescents are underrepresented in the sense-of-place literature. Our study aimed to understand how adolescent residents of a rural–urban transition area perceive and value their urbanizing landscape by examining sense of place and perceptions of landscape change. A Public Participation GIS approach, accompanied by a questionnaire survey, was applied to elicit responses from a sample of 747 students aged 12–18 in Colmenar Viejo, Madrid (Spain). Respondents’ sense of “self-in-place” or home range was small, around 1 km, although valued places were identified up to around 17 km away, and occasionally further afield. Most responses were associated with urban land, with clear difference between the urban core, strongly associated with emotions, and the suburbs, with activities. Functional locations (i.e. sports facilities) and places which were valued for their social meaning (i.e. shopping malls), could be differentiated. Students were perceptive about change processes in the urban area, but not about those on the peripheral semi-natural land. Younger children were less aware than older children of spaces outside of the town and carried out fewer activities there. Females carried out fewer outdoor activities than male adolescents. In contrast to the adult population, students were more strongly focused on urban areas than on their surrounding rural landscapes. Here, awareness-raising and incentives are needed, particularly those encouraging females into the use of areas beyond the urban land. Our results suggest a lack of meaningful integration between the core city and the periphery, with lessons for urban planners.

ABSTRACT The paradigm shift from textual interpretation to a performative approach in analysing social phenomena introduces a new analytical vocabulary for understanding rituals and religious festivals. The hook-swinging festival of Bengal, Gajan, unfolds through a series of symbolic, expressive, and cultic performances imbued with cultural significance. As a pre-harvest ceremony in rural Bengal, Gajan entails rituals such as ban fora (hook piercing), kata jhap (rolling over spined tree branches), hindola (fire swinging), and charak ghora (hook swinging). Centring on the festival and its rituals as sites of contestation, the paper explores how liminality challenges the linear historical pursuit of a singular ‘authentic’ deity, instead revealing social segmentations shaped by caste that influence the festival’s contemporary reception and meaning. The paper argues that the performative cultural practices of Gajan, through their embodied expressions, generate an evolving landscape of identity where caste dynamics are continually re-ascribed and reformulated.

No abstract available

Abstract Rural Cultural Ecosystem Services (CESs) capture how people perceive, experience, and assign meanings to rural landscapes, linking material environments with sentimental engagements and cultural meanings. Understanding the dynamic formation of rural CESs is crucial for revealing how tourism practices continuously interact with rural landscapes, thereby providing insights for tourism placemaking that fosters sustainable development and community resilience. This study investigates CESs in 26 villages surrounding Dianshan Lake, Shanghai, China, by analyzing geo-tagged social media data. The sentiment of CESs is determined based on the textual content associated with each post, while the influence of user types, such as general users and opinion leaders, as well as contextual factors, on the sentiment insights of CESs is also assessed. Results show that opinion leaders predominantly highlight recreational services. Agrarian cycles enhance the recognition of both recreational and aesthetic services, while spiritual services are more prominently recognized during nighttime. Incorporating sentiment insights reveals distinct variations in CESs recognition, emphasizing the importance of integrating sentiment dimensions into social media-based CESs assessments, as current methods often overlook this crucial aspect. Moreover, the analysis demonstrates how social media imagery reconfigures rural landscape resources into cultural symbols, highlighting the co-production of CESs through the interaction of landscape features and human engagement. Together, these findings offer valuable insights for culturally responsive and resilient grounded placemaking in the context of rapid socio-ecological change.

Contemporary villages of the mountain region are subject to uncontrolled structural and spatial transformations, which cause deformation of centuries-old spatial systems of high cultural and natural value. The aim of the study is to confront the opinions of the inhabitants and experts regarding the condition of the cultural landscape of the villages in south-eastern Poland. This area belongs to the Carpathian region of Central Europe. The historical and economic conditions of the studied region, related to the functioning in the post-war period, and then its breakdown and the development of the free market economy, constitute an interesting background for the proposed research. Local communities still remembering the period of difficulties related to the period of systemic transformations, are currently experiencing a relative prosperity, many difficulties related to the period of systemic transformations, are currently experiencing a relative prosperity, which is also expressed in a completely new, previously unknown way of managing the landscape. Investments implemented in villages are associated by the inhabitants with the improvement of the standards and quality of life. They assess them rather positively. An expert assessment of these landscape transformations indicates their negative dimension and the risk of losing timeless values. The discrepancy in the assessment of experts and local residents creates difficulties in the protection of the rural landscape. Therefore, high-quality visual landscape features among rural residents is necessary from the point of view of its multi-faceted and effective protection. Local initiatives and actions in the field of industry policy should play a significant role in this respect by consolidating the images of a harmonious landscape in the public awareness.

No abstract available

This thesis explores the integration of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) into rural landscape design, recognizing the crucial role that cultural practices, traditions, and knowledge play in shaping rural environments. Amidst increasing globalization and urbanization, rural landscapes are not only ecological and agricultural resources but also reservoirs of cultural identity. This research examines how ICH can inform sustainable rural landscape design to foster cultural continuity while promoting economic and social development. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, the study involves case analyses and expert interviews to identify strategies that effectively integrate ICH elements into rural planning and design. Findings indicate that incorporating ICH in rural landscape design enhances community engagement, preserves cultural identity, and contributes to the sustainability of rural areas. The study proposes a framework for landscape architects and planners to incorporate cultural heritage considerations into rural development projects. This thesis contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable development by highlighting the symbiotic relationship between cultural heritage and environmental planning.

Multifunctional rural landscapes are social-ecological systems that represent a link between nature and culture. They are characterized by the conservation and protection of ecological processes, natural resources and biocultural diversity. The conservation of these landscapes is mainly based on the establishment of Protected Natural Areas (PAs) whose regulatory schemes have often promoted their degradation. We evaluate the effectiveness of the conservation strategies of the Natural Park category in the protection and maintenance of rural cultural landscapes. We analyse at a regional and local scale both the dynamics of land-uses and the socioeconomic structure of the local populations involved, identifying the main social-ecological indicators of change in the protected landscape. We apply a methodological approach, based on geoprocessing tools and multivariate analysis, to examine social-ecological changes in rural cultural landscapes after the establishment of a network of PAs. The designed method allows us to infer the ecological and socioeconomic resilience of protected landscapes. Conservation efforts have tended to underestimate rural landscapes in favour of natural ones, mainly forest systems, and have not been able to prevent the processes of abandonment and degradation of protected landscapes. A simplification of the land-use systems dependent on traditional farming practices is observed. This implies the loss of both the multifunctionality of rural landscapes and their resilience to environmental changes. The key socioeconomic indicators identified highlight the deterioration of the rurality of protected landscapes. Our social-ecological approach is a useful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of PAs. Protection of landscape is related to the decline of traditional agricultural systems and rewilding through land abandonment. Culturalness is necessary to promote the management and conservation of rural landscapes from a holistic perspective.

Driven by international policy agendas to restore landscapes, large-scale land-use changes are expected in rural areas, with significant implications for landscape characteristics, land-uses, livelihoods, economies and cultures. It is increasingly recognised that the long-term success of restoration initiatives requires integrating social considerations, yet uncertainties remain over the pathways for achieving this. This paper explores the basis for- and barriers to- a just and sustainable vision of the landscape through a case study of the Affric-Kintail area in the Scottish Highlands, a context in which environmental policy agendas and natural capital investments are driving rural landscape change. Drawing from multidimensional, empirical environmental justice, this paper investigates the diverse justice claims voiced by rural communities. The research highlights a spectrum of justice concerns tied to diverse, contested meanings and practices of just transitions, where we distinguish between socio-technical and transformative approaches to just transition. As a result, our case study points to fundamental structural and socio-economic barriers to realising just transformation in rural Scotland, rooted in vast inequalities in power, wealth and landownership, and a depth of justice concerns around rural landscape transformations which have so far been left aside by restoration agendas and just transition policy discourses.

This study aims to explore the meaning of learning as experienced and constructed by students living in rural areas through a qualitative narrative approach. Learning is not merely an academic process, but a lived experience shaped by social, cultural, and economic contexts. Despite the growing attention to educational issues in rural settings, limited research has focused on how students themselves interpret the meaning of learning from their own perspectives. This study addresses this gap by foregrounding students’ narratives as the primary source of understanding. A qualitative narrative inquiry design was employed to capture students’ lived experiences through in-depth narrative interviews and contextual observations. The research was conducted in schools located in rural areas characterized by limited educational resources, restricted access to technology, and constrained economic opportunities. Participants were selected purposively to represent diverse rural backgrounds. Data were analyzed using narrative-thematic analysis to identify recurring meanings embedded in students’ stories. The findings reveal that learning is constructed as a multidimensional experience. For rural students, learning is perceived as a pathway to socio-economic mobility, a moral responsibility toward family and community, a site of tension between aspiration and structural limitation, and a process of identity formation. Students associate learning with hopes of improving their families’ economic conditions, fulfilling parental expectations, and building a better future. At the same time, they face significant challenges, such as limited facilities and competing domestic responsibilities, which shape their learning experiences and require resilience and adaptation. This study contributes to educational research by providing a contextual and humanistic understanding of learning in rural settings. Practically, the findings suggest that educational practices and policies should be more sensitive to students’ lived realities and local contexts, positioning learning not only as curriculum delivery but as a meaningful process of social transformation.

This study explores the coupling relationship between language landscape and rural revitalization through four language and writing demonstration villages in Huzhou, China. Based on the collection and analysis of approximately 800 effective language landscape corpus samples, the research identifies four underlying logics connecting language landscape construction with rural revitalization. Findings demonstrate that language landscapes function as cultural carriers inheriting local traditions while creating innovative cultural expressions; they enhance communication efficiency and strengthen social cohesion; they serve as governance tools transmitting policies and values; and they drive economic development through distinctive rural branding and related industries. The study concludes that language landscape construction should be guided by local characteristic culture while absorbing excellent foreign influences, balance standardization with local distinctiveness, support modernized rural governance, and maximize economic potential through innovative applications in cultural and creative industries. These findings provide theoretical and practical implications for leveraging language landscapes to promote comprehensive rural revitalization.

The settlement of migrants in rural areas that are facing population decline has gained increased attention in recent years as an economic, social, and political issue, as well as an opportunity for development for local communities. Studies have primarily focused on investigating whether and how migrants are integrated and included within these areas. This article adopts a fresh perspective by examining how the meaning of “integration” and “inclusion” is given shape by residents and migrant workers themselves. Our research centres on a small rural town in Sardinia, where individuals from Romania and West Africa have relocated to fill job positions traditionally held by Italians. Based on participant observation and in‐depth interviews, we examine the everyday experiences of residents and migrants to develop an understanding of the lived realities of integration and inclusion. In doing so, the article calls into question the perceived value of these processes for the very individuals that are supposed to benefit from them.

No abstract available

Human connection within rural communities is increasingly strained as technologies interrupt daily interactions and reduce opportunities for in-person engagement. This research explores how intentional design interventions can strengthen social ties through the adaptation of urban placemaking principles to rural contexts. Through a review of literature, municipal planning documents, and case studies the research examines the conditions that influence how placemaking can be meaningfully integrated into rural community frameworks. This study frames placemaking, a collaborative-community building process, as a proposed design method for Landscape Architects to engage in their profession.

This study systematically examines the linguistic landscape of "micro-family mottoes" in rural China, focusing on their role in individual moral education, sustainable economic, social, and cultural development. Originating in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, micro-family mottoes represent an innovative form of family tradition construction, characterized by concise statements extracted from historical family governance aphorisms and clan rules. Through a field survey conducted across 37 famous Chinese historical and cultural villages in Jiangxi Province, this research collected 296 micro-family motto signs, analyzing their participants, content themes, inscription characteristics, and operational mechanisms. The findings reveal that micro-family mottoes not only enhance villagers' moral standards and family cohesion but also promote rural social stability and cultural inheritance. Quantitative analysis using Fuzzy Regression Discontinuity (Fuzzy RD) design confirms a significant reduction in crime rates in areas where micro-family mottoes have been implemented, indicating their positive impact on moral education and behavioral restraint. Furthermore, the study highlights the economic potential of micro-family mottoes in driving rural cultural tourism, thereby realizing their value as language resources. The research underscores the importance of strengthening the construction and promotion of microfamily motto linguistic landscapes to foster sustainable rural development.

The rural construction community embodies a confluence of social dynamics within rural areas, constituting an organic self-organization with hierarchical relationships. Over a specific period, the amalgamation of various roles and relationships within the rural construction community shapes the prevalent culture, distinctive image, and production techniques within villages. This study examines the structural composition of village communities and endeavors to establish a linkage mechanism among different elements within the construction framework. Focusing on villages and their inhabitants, this research traces the temporal evolution along the following axes: (1) Traditional Agricultural Civilization Age; (2) Collective Economy Age; (3) Rural Industrialization Age; (4) Rural Differentiation Age; and (5) Rural Revitalization Age. This paper primarily observes the evolution through the cultural foundation and manifestation of rural communities, emphasizing that the communities represent cooperative, autonomous, and transformative constructs. From the perspective of cultural landscapes, this article elucidates the interconnected trajectory of ecology–institution–livelihood in the creation of rural communities. It interprets the interplay among the resource patterns, social structure, and economic forms of villages across five distinct periods, fostering a comprehensive understanding of rural community development amidst changing circumstances. Recent years have seen a concerning decline in rural areas, where rural community culture faces a significant impact from modern industrial civilization, resulting in the disintegration of the social fabric within community construction. Nevertheless, the resilient common sense and self-organization capabilities of villagers persist. This study seeks to offer theoretical guidance and decision-making support to advance innovative social governance in rural locales. Moving forward, China’s rural revitalization demands a more adaptive sustainable assessment within rural construction communities.

Purpose: Rural areas, traditionally valued as agricultural workers' workplace and living space, have expanded to be regarded as urban residents' retreat, garnering significant interest from urban residents. This study examines how the related population, those who maintain continuous interest and engagement with rural areas, perceives these spaces. While previous research has focused on defining the concept, characteristics, and scale of rural related populations, this study aims to analyze individuals' subjective perceptions of rural areas. Methods: The study employed Q methodology to analyze perceptions of the rural related population. Through literature analysis and in-depth interviews, 32 statements were compiled and refined. A survey was conducted with 27 participants who maintain rural connections across the country to categorize these statements. Results: The analysis revealed four distinct factors of subjective perceptions, and these were named as the slow life pursuer(type 1), the urban lifestyle maintainer(type 2), the local value creator(type 3), and the personal growth seeker(type 4). Type 1 views rural areas primarily as places for rest and escape from urban life, engaging in relatively superficial activities. Type 2 demonstrates a balanced recognition of both rural attractions and limitations. Type 3 is characterized by a desire to generate social value and contribute to rural communities, while Type 4 maintains ongoing rural connections focused on personal development. Conclusion: The findings indicate that individuals within the related population exhibit diverse orientations and attitudes toward rural areas, suggesting the need for differentiated approaches to enhance their engagement and participation in rural development.

Purpose This study aims to investigate consumers’ construction of food localness through the politics of belonging in a regional context. Design/methodology/approach Following a socio-spatial lens and considering the “realm of meaning” of place, this research focusses on local consumers’ lived meanings of “local” food choice, and hence adopts a phenomenological approach to the data collection and analysis of 20 in-depth interviews with residents of the Italian region of Marche. Findings Drawing on Trudeau’s (2006) politics of belonging, this study reveals three interconnected themes which show how local consumers articulate a local food “orthodoxy” and how their discourses and practices draw and maintain a boundary between local and non-local food, whereby local food is considered “autochthonous” of rural space. Thus, this study’s participants construct a local food landscape, conveying rural (vs urban) meanings through which food acquires “localness” (vs non-“localness”) status. Research limitations/implications There exists further theoretical opportunity to consider local consumers’ construction of food localness through the politics of belonging in terms of non-representational theory (Thrift, 2008), to help reveal added nuances to the construction of food localness as well as to the complex process of formulating place meaning. Practical implications The findings provide considerable scope for food producers, manufacturers and/or marketers to differentiate local food products by enhancing consumers’ direct experience of it in relation to rural space. Thus, enabling local food producers to convey rural (vs urban) meanings to consumers, who would develop an orthodoxy guiding future choice. Social implications The findings enable regional promoters and food policymakers to leverage the symbolic distinctiveness of food autochthony to promote place and encourage consumers to participate in their local food system. Originality/value By using the politics of belonging as an analytical framework, this study shows that the urban–rural dichotomy – rather than being an obsolete epistemological category – fuels politics of belonging dynamics, and that local food consumers socially construct food localness not merely as a romanticisation of rurality but as a territorial expression of the contemporary local/non-local cultural conflict implied in the politics of belonging. Thus, this study advances our theoretical understanding by demonstrating that food “becomes” local and therefore, builds on extant food localness conceptualisations.