InterAction : How Can Academics and the Third Sector Work Together to Influence Policy and Practice?

In this report Carnegie Fellow Professor Mark Shucksmith argues that to make an impact on social policy universities must work more closely with civil society.  The report: explores the different approaches of both sectors to knowledge and evidence; investigates the obstacles and challenges to collaboration; highlights examples of successful interactions; and makes a series of recommendations to those in the third sector, academia and the research funding councils as to how more positive collaboration can be encourage

Social Exclusion and Poverty in Rural Areas of Britain

This paper discusses the ways in which economic, social and political forces for change operate in rural areas to produce social exclusion for some people and social groups. After a brief review of these forces for change, as they operate across Europe, the paper turns to consider the meaning of the term ”social exclusion” and how the experiences of individuals and social groups might be related to such forces. Following this, the paper draws on a number of recent empirical studies to illustrate how social exclusion operates in rural areas of Britain. The paper draws attention to the effects on sustainable livelihoods of the ascendancy of market processes, and the waning of state systems, as a result of the neo-liberal hegemony which has hastened deregulation, privatisation, reductions in public expenditure and global capital’s penetration of labour and product markets.Cet essai traite des manières à travers lesquelles des forces économiques, sociales et politiques opèrent dans les régions rurales et produisent l’exclusion sociale de certaines personnes et groupes sociaux. Après un bref aperçu de ces forces de changement, telles qu’elles opèrent à travers l’Europe, cet essai se penche sur la signification du terme ‘exclusion sociale’ et sur la façon dont les expériences d’individus et de groupes sociaux pourraient être mises en rapport avec de telles forces. Ensuite, l’article se base sur plusieurs études empiriques récentes pour illustrer comment l’exclusion sociale agit dans des régions rurales de Grande-Bretagne. Cet essai attire l’attention sur les effets sur la subsistance matérielle durable de la suprématie des processus de marché et du déclin des systèmes étatiques suite à l’hégémonie néolibérale. Celle-ci a accéléré la dérégulation, la privatisation, la réduction des dépenses publiques et la pénétration du capital global dans les marchés de main-d’œuvre et de produits

Learning from European Rural Movements:Research to inform a Scottish approach

To inform the development of a rural movement in Scotland, this report explores the key characteristics, roles and methods of engagement employed by established rural movements in other European countries. We studied rural movements in 10 countries (Albania, England, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Sweden). We collected information via a desk-based review of relevant literature, interviews with representatives from each of the movements, and an online seminar to discuss the initial findings (hosted by the EuropeanRural Communities Alliance). We identified six overarching themes with associated learning points for Scotland. The themes relate to the structure of the organisation, collaboration, purpose, activities, relationship with government, and place-based action. The findings demonstrate how rural movements represent an organised approach to providing a network and voice for rural areas, their people and those working to support rural development. An important role for the movements is advocacy to shape local, regional and national policy, while another important role is enabling shared learning and knowledge exchange. The character of each movement reflects and responds to the national context in which it operates, including the system of administration and culture. Three insights can be put forward from this research to inform the Scottish approach. We suggest that these are used as a basis for ongoing discussions between Scottish Government, Scottish Rural Action and others seeking to develop an effective and impactful Scottish rural movement: A Scottish rural movement should bring together diverse actors to inform and influence policy. A Scottish rural movement needs a clear identity and clarity of purpose related to networking and knowledge sharing. A Scottish rural movement should be supported to develop constructive relationships with LEADER LAGs and staff to ensure that the movement represents local issues and needs effectively

Urban-rural differences in quality of life across the European Union

This paper analyses the European Quality of Life Survey 2003, to explore urban-rural differences in income, deprivation, and other life domains. The main conclusion is that the richest countries in the EU show little evidence of significant urban-rural differences, whereas, in the poorer countries of the east and south, rural areas have a much lower level of perceived welfare and quality of life, particularly in the candidate countries. Despite this, subjective well-being is not significantly different, and this paradox is explored through multi-level modelling. The paper concludes by considering the policy implications for rural policy, urban policy and cohesion policy

Cohesion Policy for rural areas after 2013. A rationale derived from the EDORA project (European Development Opportunities in Rural Areas) – ESPON 2013 Project 2013/1/2

The starting point of the EDORA project was the recognition that, rather than becoming more uniform in character, rural Europe is, in many ways, becoming increasingly diverse, implying new challenges and opportunities. The project’s overarching aim was to examine the process of differentiation, in order to better understand how EU policy can enable rural areas to build upon their specific potentials to achieve ‘smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’. The first phase of the project consisted of a literature review in order to establish a conceptual framework for subsequent empirical analysis. This identified a very wide range of aspects of contemporary rural change. In order to manage this complexity, and so that it could be communicated simply and clearly, three ‘meta-narratives’ of rural change were devised. In the second phase the evidence base for rural change was explored, both in terms of large scale patterns, based upon regional data, and local processes. The macro-scale patterns were addressed by three typologies. These were complemented at a micro-level by in-depth studies of 12 exemplar regions, reflecting a wide range of types and contexts. The third phase explored policy implications. The project’s findings point towards neo-endogenous approaches, in which a ‘bottom up’ process of regional programme design is fully supported and guided by available information, expert advice and the kind of strategic perspective which is best assembled at a central level. The EDORA findings are thus generally supportive of the ‘place based’ approaches advocated by the Barca Report