This book discusses the future of rural development and the recognition of the growing importance of 'place-based economies' where the unique attributes and assets of individual places determine their attractiveness for particular types of activities and investments. New understandings of competitiveness and conceptualizations of a new economy underline the importance of making strategic investments in community infrastructure. Doing things, at the local and regional scales, matters and not doing things has consequences. Topics include seasonal economies, amenity migration, IT industries, green energy and transportation developments.

With accelerating urbanization and growing inter-dependence of rural and urban dwellers on the markets and resources they each offer, rural urban linkages have become a very important focus in recent years for research and policy relating to local and national economic development, poverty reduction and governance. The emergence of new livelihoods based on diversified income sources and mobility reflects profound social, cultural and economic transformations, and new forms of resource allocation and use. This volume collects the key contributions in the field, covering the conceptual background, the key issues and the current debates, locating different approaches in their wider intellectual and historical contexts. It also includes important recent empirical work from all the relevant geographical regions that that will be the basis for future thinking. Fifteen papers are clearly organized around the principal themes and accompanied by a valuable editorial introduction clearly setting out the issues, the arguments and the evidence. Suggestions for further reading and additional information sources are also included. Published with IIED.

Faced with global economic, social and environmental challenges requiring us to go beyond individual actions, the development of collective dynamics is the ideal response. From this perspective, territories, which have long been neglected, are now asserting themselves as breeding grounds for innovative and relevant forms of organized action in response to shared experiences. Bringing together more than twenty researchers in strategic management, human resources management and marketing, Collective Dynamics and Territories offers, through nine territorial issues (innovating and regenerating territories, building environmental action, attracting and retaining talent, etc.), insights into the conditions and modalities for developing collective dynamics within territories. The success of local collective dynamics depends on support for the actors involved, from situation analysis to problem definition, including idea generation, selection, implementation and evaluation. This book offers a comprehensive, systemic and operational vision for analyzing and acting on collective territorial dynamics.

Critical Rural Theory provides an exploratory foundation for anyone interested in examining the hegemonic power of urbanization and its impacts on rural people and places. This book is without parallel in the rural sociological literature for its commitment to uncovering the power of culture in addition to structure and space in maintaining urban power.

North of the heart of Ontario’s scenic Muskoka District are the Almaguin Highlands, a loosely organized collection of villages, townships, and municipalities. In the mid-1800s, the region was home to loggers and farmers, as well as seasonal residents in simple cottages and camps. Since then, the impact of economic globalization and government policies has transformed the countryside into a luxurious recreational, residential, and tourist destination. John Michels investigates change in the Almaguin Highlands, exploring the modern faces of cottaging, tourism, agriculture, forestry, and economic development initiatives. He shows how years of neoliberal policies have displaced agriculture and logging as the principal sources of employment in northern Ontario, generating tension and unexpected alliances between tourists, residents, loggers, farmers, developers, and governmental officials over the proper uses and meanings of rural space. The repercussions of this new service-oriented countryside include increased youth outmigration, decreased full-time employment opportunities, and an ever-growing gap between the rich and the poor. A rich and detailed study based on long-term interviews and fieldwork, Permanent Weekend critically explores the catalysts and outcomes of gentrifying rural areas.