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List of contents
Contents: Introduction: a comparative European perspective, Keith Halfacree, Imre Kovách and Rachel Woodward; Changing patterns of leadership and local power in rural Ireland, Chris Curtin and Tony Varley; The politics of rural development in The Netherlands, Henri Goverde and Henk de Haan; Influences on leadership and local power in rural Britain, Rachel Woodward and Keith Halfacree; Leadership, local power and rural restructuring in Hungary, Imre Kovách; Rural restructuring, power distribution and leadership at national, regional and local levels: the case of France, Nicole Mathieu and Philippe Gajewski; Recent rural restructuring in East and West Germany: experiences and backgrounds, Lutz Laschewski, Parto Teherani-Krönner and Titus Bahner; Rural restructuring and the effects of rural development policies in Spain, Fernando Garrido, José R. Mauleón and Eduardo Moyano; Regional and rural development in Austria and its influence on leadership and local power, Thomas Dax and Martin Hebertshuber; Recent rural restructuring and rural policy in Finland, Torsti Hyyryläinen and Eero Uusitalo; Rural development and policies: the case of post-war Norway, Nina Gunnerud Berg and Hans Kjetil LysgÃ¥rd; Conclusions, Keith Halfacree, Imre Kovách and Rachel Woodward. Name index.
About the author
Imre Kovách, Keith Halfacree
Summary
Contemporary processes of economic, social, political and cultural restructuring are having profound impacts on the form and function of rural areas within the countries of the European Union and beyond. Furthermore, rural development policies and programmes at EU and national levels have been critical in shaping the responses of different rural areas across Europe to these wider processes of restructuring. Contrasting empirical studies of ten European countries, this volume provides a comprehensive analysis of the restructuring processes and the various national, regional and local rural development programmes. Adopting a different national perspective in each chapter, it focuses particularly on issues of power and leadership in the evolution and administration of these programmes. Five broad issues are examined in each case: socio-economic changes in rural areas, the administrative context in which rural development and political activities take place, the sociological context, the political control of rural development, and the use of different discourses of rurality in shaping the development process.
Additional text
'This comparative perspective is indeed an ambitious and welcome addition to our understanding of the commonalties experienced, but also of the diversity that is evident, across rural Europe.' Urban Studies 'The book attempts to aid our understanding of the wider economics and social restructuring taking place in rural Europe. This comparative perspective is indeed an ambitious and welcome addition to our understanding of the commonalties experience, but also of the diversity that is evident, across rural Europe.' Urban Studies
