Economic Development in Rural Areas


Book Description

In rural areas of industrialized societies, food production as a basis for growth and employment has been declining for many decades. In the global south, on the other hand, food production is still often the most important factor for socio-economic development. Analysing the ongoing changes and dynamics in rural development from a functional perspective through a series of case studies from the global north and south, this volume deepens our understanding of the importance of new functional and multifunctional approaches in policy, practice and theory.




Rural Housing and Economic Development


Book Description

Housing is crucial to the quality of life and wellbeing for individuals and familes, but the availability of adequate or affordable housing also plays a vital role in community economic development. Rural areas face a substantial disadvantage compared to urban areas in regard to housing, and this book explores these issues. Rural Housing and Economic Development includes chapters from nationally known experts from throughout the U.S. to provide insight to help understand and address the difficult housing concerns within rural areas. The chapters cover a variety of issues including housing for rural minorities, the extent of and problems associated with mobile home dwelling, the extent to which affordable rental housing is available in rural areas, the rapidly growing elderly population, and the housing consequences of rapid population and economic growth associated with energy development. The authors not only describe various housing problems, but also suggest policy approaches to more effectively address them. This book will be a vital resource to policy makers at the local, state or national level as they grapple with difficult rural housing problems. Researchers and professionals dealing with housing issues will also benefit from the insights of these experts while the book will also be appropriate for upper level undergraduates or graduate students in courses on housing or economic development.




Economic Revitalization


Book Description

Economic Revitalization is unique in that it discusses leading revitalization strategies in the context of both city and suburban settings, offering case studies of program development and implementation. In Economic Revitalization: Cases and Strategies for City and Suburb Fitzgerald and Leigh answer the need for a text that incorporates social justice and sustainability into how we think about and practice economic development. It is one of the first to talk about how revitalization strategies are implemented in both cities and suburbs, particularly inner-ring suburbs that are experiencing decline previously associated only with inner-city neighborhoods. After setting the context with a brief history of economic development practice and its shortcomings, Fitzgerald and Leigh focus on six economic development strategies: sectoral strategies, Brownfield redevelopment, industrial retention, commercial revitalization, industrial and office property reuse, and workforce development. Each of these chapters begins with an overview of the strategy and then presents cases of how it is being implemented. The cases draw from Atlanta, Chicago and its suburbs, Emeryville, Kalamazoo, Louisville, New Haven, Portland, Sandy Springs, and Seattle (and suburban King County). They illustrate the tradeoffs often made in achieving one goal at the expense of another. Although they admit that some of the cases come up short in illustrating a more equitable and sustainable economic development practice, Fitzgerald and Leigh conclude with an optimistic view that the field is changing. The book is aimed at students and practitioners of economic development planning who seek to foster stronger economies and greater opportunity in inner cites and older suburbs. It is also meant to assist planners in thriving new towns and suburban communities seeking to avoid future economic decline as their communities mature. Economic Revitalization: Discusses practice in both suburban and inner-city settings Integrates the planning values of social justice and sustainability into the discussion of implementation strategies Includes cases that reveal the political nature of the planning process and the types of tradeoffs that often must be made Provides insights for planners seeking to adopt "best practice" programs from other localities




Wealth Creation


Book Description

A new approach to rural development is emerging. Instead of being about attracting companies that might create jobs over which communities have no control, the emerging paradigm is about connecting the unique underutilized assets of place with market opportunity to grow assets that are owned and controlled by and for the benefit of low-wealth people and places. But asset development is about more than bricks and mortar or narrowly defined financial assets. There are many kinds of assets that communities require to thrive – such as social capital, natural capital, political capital, and intellectual capital. The emerging new approach to rural development is, then about broadening the definition of "wealth," engaging underutilized assets, and a key third element: harnessing the power of the market – rather than relying solely on philanthropy and government. Wealth Creation provides a conceptual guide with practical examples for policymakers, practitioners of economic and community development, community organizers, environmentalists, funders, investors, and corporations seeking a values-based framework for identifying self-interests across sectors that can lead to opportunities to transform existing systems for the collective good.




Development Centre Studies A New Rural Development Paradigm for the 21st Century A Toolkit for Developing Countries


Book Description

Three billion people live in rural areas in developing countries. Conditions for them are worse than for their urban counterparts when measured by almost any development indicator, from extreme poverty, to child mortality and access to electricity and sanitation.




Rethinking Rural


Book Description

The vastness and isolation of the American West forged a dependence on scarce natural resources especially water, forests, fish, and minerals. Today, the internet is shaping another revolution, and it promises both obstacles and opportunity. Seeking to understand the impact of a global society on western small towns, the author, director of the Western Rural Development Center at Utah State University, conducted strategic planning roundtables in thirteen states. The gatherings brought three major concer




Economic Restructuring and Family Well-being in Rural America


Book Description

"A compilation of policy-relevant research by a multidisciplinary group of scholars on the state of families in rural America in the twenty-first century. Examines the impact of economic restructuring on rural Americans and provides policy recommendations for addressing the challenges they face"--Provided by publisher.




Rural Development


Book Description

Rural Development is a textbook that critically examines economic, social and cultural aspects of rural development efforts both in the global north and in the global south. By consistently using examples from the north and the south the book highlights similarities of processes as well as differences in contexts. The authors’ knowledge of Afghanistan and Sweden respectively creates a core for the discussions which are complemented with a wide range of other empirical examples. Rural Development is divided into nine chapters, each with a thematic focus, ranging from concepts and theories through rural livelihoods and natural resources to discussions on policy and processes of change. The book sees rural development as a multi-level, multi-actor and multi-faceted subject area that needs multidisciplinary perspectives both to support it and to analyse it. Throughout the book examples of rural development interventions are discussed using analytical concepts such as power, discourse, consequences and context to grasp rural development as practices that are more than what is presented in policy documents. The book is written in a way that makes it accessible for undergraduates while at the same time caters for the kind of deeper reading used by master students and Ph.D.’s. Every chapter is linked to discussion questions as well as suggested further readings and useful websites.




Rural Sustainable Development in America


Book Description

Ob in Europa oder Nordamerika - ländliche Gemeinden kämpfen in den Industriestaaten überall mit ähnlichen Problemen: Der Niedergang der landwirtschaftlichen Familienbetriebe durch technologieintensive Bewirtschaftung führt zur Abwanderung der Bevölkerung in die Städte. In diesem Buch findet nicht nur der Politiker oder Städteplaner Anregungen, wie die Attraktivität der Kleinstädte wieder gesteigert werden kann. Ausführlich werden spezielle Aspekte von Vorstädten und Nahtzonen zwischen Großstadt und Land diskutiert.




Rural Communities in the Global Economy


Book Description

This book fills a gap between theory and practice in the field of the rural communities' research. The book consists of fourteen chapters which analyze specific aspects and suggest possible solutions regarding rural communities in the global economy, insisting on the recent transformations of the classical rural economy paradigms in contemporary economies. The main topics of the book are centered but not limited to the following aspects: -Recent transformations of the rural communities -Rural paradigm agricultural and food models -Rural sustainable investments -Consumption models -Business investments strategies in rural areas -Transition economics and market reforms in rural economy -Market inequity and rural economy -Business models and start-ups in rural areas. This book tries to provide insights and support for policy makers, investors, researchers - all of this connecting to the rural communities in the global economy. In this context, the objective of the book is to provide relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings in the area of green rural communities in the global economy and their impact on sustainable development of competitive markets. The main objectives of the book are: -to create a reference for professionals, practitioners, academia and students in field of the rural economy paradigms; -to present and analyze the latest findings in the field of the recent transformations of the rural communities -the paradigms change of rural communities in the global economy; -to create a working paradigm regarding the rural economy The book, Rural Communities in the Global Economy - Beyond The Classical Rural Economy Paradigms will definitely impact editors' fields of research, since it is mainly related to the rural communities in the global economy and the sustainable development of the rural economy through a range of activities, including green entrepreneurship and the "working with people" model. The publication is also a continuation of editors' research of the rural communities in the global economy taking into account the structures in modern business and society. Convinced of its utility, the editors are confident that Rural Communities in the Global Economy - Beyond the Classical Rural Economy Paradigms will become a milestone in the field and will stir debates regarding this research topic. This book is addressed to professionals and researchers working in the field of rural communities' economy research and management.