Journal of Rural and Community Development
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"We Have to Protect the Investors": 'Development' & Canadian Mining Companies in Guatemala
No full textNeoliberal development schemes of mining, oil extraction, and hydroelectric projects, are embraced by post-conflict Guatemala as the way forward on the path to democratization. At the same time, the Canadian government's pro-business, pro-mining stance, through its Embassy's activities, is shaping the very nature of the "development model" for this Central American country. Neoliberal development models are often associated with human rights abuses and an unwillingness to incorporate local knowledge or allow for locally-driven, smaller-scale development. In this paper, based on fieldwork in the summer months of 2004, 2006, and 2008, we argue that large-scale resource development by Canadian mining companies and their Guatemalan subsidiaries on Maya traditional territories, lands to which they have limited rights, is negatively affecting local indigenous peoples' lives and realities. Through a rights-based approach to our analysis of 'development' we highlight the silenced voices of Maya community members in opposition to what they identify as unsound development practices and President Óscar Berger's need to "protect the investors" rather than the lives of his country's own citizens.
Keywords: Canada; development; natural resources; Guatemala; indigenous; neoliberalism; minin
Economic Development Planning In Bedroom Communities:A Case Study of Chatham County, North Carolina
Get PDFThis article shares lessons learned in the economic development planning experience in Chatham County, North Carolina, a traditionally rural county on the urban fringe of the growing Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA), which includes Research Triangle Park. Chatham County has faced tremendous residential growth pressure as portions of the county have transitioned into a bedroom community while other parts of the country remain rural and economically depressed. The authors share their planning experiences and lessons learned in developing an economic development plan designed to increase the non-residential tax base and provide jobs for residents while preserving the rural character of the County. These lessons are vital to community engagement in economic development planning in similar communities facing both residential growth pressures and stagnant local economies
'Suburbanism as a Way of Staying Alive': Reinventing the Rural
No full textThis paper will focus on the social transformations that took place in the Portuguese rural space. In particular, we will study the village of Albernoa in the region of Alentejo in Southern Portugal in order to characterize the deep structural social change this place has gone through. In fact, similarly to what has happened to the major rural areas in the region, this village has suffered progressive ageing and continuous depopulation. These tendencies occurred simultaneously with the reduction of several agricultural enterprises and activities. We will also identify some dynamic indicators connected with the increasing spatial mobility (sprawl) and the gradual integration of urban habits. Albernoa is now at the crossroads between urbanization and marginalization.
To analyze these changes we will use a multidimensional perspective of the concept of social space, based on the theoretical approach presented by Lefebvre. This author states that space should not be interpreted as a mere receptacle of social relationships. On the contrary, social space is produced daily in concrete places and is grounded in different kinds of practices and social representations. The distinction and consequently the inter-relation between the notions of space and place helps us to dismantle the various mechanisms that make up these complex social exchanges in which the concepts of rural and urban are constantly re-inventing themselves.
Keywords: Rural community, urbanization, place, social representation
Developing a Community Based Rehabilitation Network for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Study in Appalachian Kentucky
Get PDFThis case study describes the process of developing a community based, collaborative network in underserved Appalachian Kentucky, focused on the needs of people with spinal cord injury. The goal of the project was to develop a network to disseminate information and maximize resources to improve quality of life and health outcomes for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in rural Appalachian Kentucky. The counties located in eastern Kentucky are some of the poorest in Appalachia and have significant shortages of healthcare resources. A community-academic partnership was developed to guide the creation of a network of stakeholders in rural communities who are in impacted by SCI. Initial interviews and focus groups guided the creation of the network and the topics of importance to the people/families living with SCI and the healthcare providers in this rural region. Conclusions from the case study highlight the supports and barriers to the creation of the community based network.
While many individuals, businesses and healthcare providers quickly joined the network development process, similar barriers that influence health disparities in rural underserved populations were faced in developing this network. Geographic isolation and transportation issues negatively impacted full participation in the network. However, many participants are thriving in this collaboration. This case study shows how a community based network of people working together can translate research results into a meaningful foundation to develop programs that will positively influence health and quality of life outcomes for underserved populations in underserved regions
"Our liquidity is trust, not cash": Credit Unions and the Rural Social Economy
Get PDFRural communities in Canada currently face significant challenges associated with restructuring. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the role that social economy organizations (SEOs) may play in rural revitalization. Specifically, we propose that credit unions (CUs) represent significant assets to the development process. Our study reviewed eight rural CUs in British Columbia and Alberta in order to examine their role in local reinvestment. Our findings indicate that CUs possess social economy characteristics that hold potential as both sources of competitive advantage and resources for rural local development. However, limitations in capacity and awareness of the social economy prevent this potential from being effectively and strategically engaged.
Keywords: credit union, local reinvestment, rural revitalization, social economy organization
Formation and Function of Social Capital for Forest Resource Management and the Improved Livelihoods of Indigenous People in Bangladesh
Get PDFThis paper examines the status and formation of social capital, and its contribution to forest resource management and to the livelihoods of Bangladeshi indigenous ethnic groups in these forest environments. We draw on empirical data from three villages associated with two participatory forestry projects. Components of social capital were associated with both enhanced livelihood of villagers and improved forest conditions in terms of area, stock, growth and diversity. Where the project (e.g. the Upland Settlement Project) authority failed to build up social capital, non-government organizations (NGOs) stepped in to play a pivotal role in the formation of social capital among the villagers. Even though NGOs created bonding social capital, villagers, however, further expanded their networks through the formation of bridging social capital that helped them to capture several local government social development services. High social capital was found to be related to better forest condition. Recommendations are made to involve NGOs along with other stakeholders for greater success in such participatory forestry projects.
Keywords: social capital, forest resource management, forest conversation, indigenous ethnic groups, participatory forestry project
University Engagement in Rural Development: A Case Study of the Northern Rural Network
Get PDFThe Northern Rural Network was founded by the Centre for Rural Economy at Newcastle University, North East England in 2000. It was established with the aim of bringing together researchers and practitioners to share knowledge about pertinent issues in rural development. Its conceptual foundations were based on particular ideas about the value of bringing into constructive dialogue people and organisations with different knowledge, roles and perspectives on the regeneration of rural areas. As such the Network is grounded in ideas about the value of neo-endogenous approaches to rural development. In this case study paper we examine the Northern Rural Network as an initiative in putting neo-endogenous rural development into practice.
Keywords: universities, neo-endogenous rural development, knowledge exchange, Northern Rural Networ
Creativity, Tourism and Economic Development in a Rural Context: the Case of Prince Edward County
Get PDFLocated on Lake Ontario, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada is equidistant (about 200km) from both Ottawa and Toronto. Described by its own web site as ?A beautiful island adventure, the County is a mecca for artists, nature lovers and anyone looking for a beautiful island adventure ... for a weekend break or for life. Renowned for its sailing, fishing and giant sand dunes, the County also offers live theatre, artists' studios and galleries, unique regional cuisine and a flourishing wine region.? Prince Edward County is an outstanding example of a rural community that has leveraged its natural resources with a focus on the creative economy including gastronomy, enology, culture and heritage, and the visual arts to create not only a desirable tourist destination but also vibrant regional economic development. In this paper, we use a combination of quantitative and qualitative data to examine the underlying intentions and strategy of this development focus along with the actual performance, growth, and underlying economic and demographic changes in the region. We demonstrate the impact of both planned, intended changes and serendipitous events, conditioned on a willingness to adapt, in creating lasting advantage for the region. We conclude by offering insights on what other rural communities can learn from the Prince Edward County case in terms of revitalizing their tourist economies and enhancing overall regional economic development.
Keywords: rural development strategies, creative class, creative economy, Prince Edward Count
Participation and Capacity Building in Community Visioning: NIMBYism and the Politics of the Rural-Urban Interface in Elk Grove, California
Get PDFThe Rural Visioning Project, a community-based research project in Elk Grove, California, emerged from collaboration between two local community groups and researchers from the University of California, Davis. It is presented as "an exercise in community development," which lends insight into community processes, the meaning of "community" and perceptions of community action by participants and observers. The project provides an example of how participatory research can generate desired community change as well as valid, relevant data. Moreover, the substantive community development issues which emerged from the project have far-reaching impacts and relevance, informing wider conversations around the concept of a "public good," public participation, and capacity building, including how local communities can empower themselves to enact change of their own design rather than follow the status quo and the preferences of vested interests. Related to these issues, we discuss the NIMBY (Not-In-My-Back-Yard) label and how it is mobilized by both sides in land use disputes to either bolster or demean public legitimacy. The Rural Visioning Project also offers valuable insight into some of the questions, implications, and complexities of the rural-urban interface, revealing divergent experiences of culture, identity and public decision-making.
Keywords: participatory action research, rural-urban interface, land use politics, community development practice, NIMBY, Californi
Engaging People of the Mountains and Hollows: A Role for the Community and Public Health Preparedness Workforce
Get PDFTwo basic assumptions are made by national disaster planners and policy makers: public health workers are prepared to render public health care and population-based health care services during any natural or man-made disaster, and individuals and their families are aware of and engaged in personal preparedness and response planning (Chertoff, 2008). This study had two principal goals: (1) to analyze the results of a rural health survey that sought to identify perceived vulnerability and preparedness for natural or man-made disasters among local residents in Hawkins County, Tennessee, which lies in the heart of rural southern Appalachia, and (2) to consider the results in the broader context of rural health preparedness and suggest mechanisms for improving public awareness and preparedness for all-hazards disaster situations in rural settings. A major limitation of the study was the study sample, which was a convenience sample of attendees at an all-hazards preparedness health fair. The study responses demonstrated a lack of perceived vulnerability, which may reflect the fact that living memory does not recall major local disasters affecting the community. The authors suggest that local poverty among county residents may also play a role in local preparedness and response. Despite the readiness or availability of public health professionals, rural areas may be especially vulnerable to natural or man-made disasters due to a lack of public awareness and understanding of recommended preparedness plans and responses. The authors suggest that Community Health Educators (CHEs) and Community/Public Health Nurses (CPHNs) in the public health workforce can formally and informally be valuable sources of emergency preparedness and response planning, training, and education in rural communities