LITHUANIAN DIAGNOSTICS OF LAGGING TERRITORIES: EVALUATION AND INSIGHTS

During the period 2006-2007 diagnostics were conducted on territorial aspects of rural Lithuania with a special focus on the rural areas lagging behind. The study includes analysis of economic, demographic and social indicators of rural areas at a disaggregated level and a methodology enabling the assessment of opportunities and constraints and the comparisons of rural areas in various territories. The study objective is an improved set of diagnostics that captures territorial differences, improves the targeting of RDP measures and strengthens the framework for allocation and access to structural and rural development funds. The paper discusses diagnostic methods by reviewing concepts of rurality and presenting methods used for identifying and ranking leading and lagging territories. We use selected socio-economic indicators to describe differences among municipalities in Lithuania and identify the key factors that indicate more and less successful areas. These are then used to identify and rank leading and lagging municipalities with a development index.investment, rural development, lagging rural areas, economic structure, competitiveness, social well-being, development indices, funding envelopes, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, International Development,

International mobility and migration of rural population

This presentation summarizes the results of the WP on international migration into rural areas in the FP7 project DERREG

LITHUANIAN DIAGNOSTICS OF LAGGING TERRITORIES: EVALUATION AND INSIGHTS

During the period 2006-2007 diagnostics were conducted on territorial aspects of rural Lithuania with a special focus on the rural areas lagging behind. The study includes analysis of economic, demographic and social indicators of rural areas at a disaggregated level and a methodology enabling the assessment of opportunities and constraints and the comparisons of rural areas in various territories. The study objective is an improved set of diagnostics that captures territorial differences, improves the targeting of RDP measures and strengthens the framework for allocation and access to structural and rural development funds. The paper discusses diagnostic methods by reviewing concepts of rurality and presenting methods used for identifying and ranking leading and lagging territories. We use selected socio-economic indicators to describe differences among municipalities in Lithuania and identify the key factors that indicate more and less successful areas. These are then used to identify and rank leading and lagging municipalities with a development index

Rural Return Migration: Comparative Analysis between Ireland and Lithuania

Globalisation is a ubiquitous influence in rural Europe, offering both opportunities and challenges. The liberalisation of travel restrictions, in addition to the growth and development of transport and global communication networks, have contributed to international mobility that promotes patterns of migration, return migration and repeat emigration from/into rural regions. Return migration in particular, represents a stimulating field of research, which is as though provoking as it is diverse. In some regions, migrants return to their native country to play a pivotal role in the economic, social, and cultural vibrancy of a local rural community, while in others, migrants find themselves excluded and isolated. Investigating this diversity of experience, this paper presents analysis of findings from research carried out as part of the FP7 DERREG project. Thirty-six biographies of return migrants (from the West of Ireland and Alytus County, Lithuania) were generated; allowing an understanding of how various life trajectories develop; reasons behind decisions; feelings regarding relocation and reintegration and, experiences of returning to a rural location. Drawing on transnationalism and social network theory, this paper reveals the complexity of contemporary return migration experiences and the similarities and diversities that exist between Western and Eastern Europe. Key issues to emerge include the context dependency of return migrant behaviour and their further life choices, integration and, the shift in migrant value priority scale from economic to social values

Arranging public support to unfold collaborative modes of governance in rural areas

Raising collective agency is key to successful place-based development approaches. Existing policy arrangements have, however, been criticised, suggesting a need to effectuate more collaborative modes of governance. This paper shall contribute to a better understanding of how public support can best be arranged to raise collective agency for a more collaborative mode of governance in rural areas. The paper elaborates on findings of empirical investigations conducted within the EU FP7 project DERREG. It will be shown that differences in effectuating more collaborative modes of governance can partly be ascribed to different political dynamics, economic and demographic situations as well as the presence of a shared sense of place. To raise collective agency effectively requires a joint reconsideration and restructuring of the division of roles and tasks, including those of public administration. This can be supported by facilitating joint reflexivity among development actors and giving room for collaborative leadership and operational flexibility within policy arrangement