The Sociology of Rural Life

हाम्रो आग्रह !!

"राम्रो भोलिको लागि, आज सिकौं र सिकाऔं" भन्ने उध्येश्यका साथ संचालित, यो बल्ग शिक्षा, सञ्चार, जागरूकता, जानकारी, समन्वय, पुस्तकहरु, कक्षाहरू, आदि र समग्रमा लोकसेवा र कलेजको विद्यार्थी सँग सम्बन्धित ब्लग हो। देशमा बढीरहेको बेरोजगारी र नेपाली प्रशासनमा कमजोर कर्मचारी को समस्यालाई ध्यानमा राखी यो बल्ग निर्माण गरिएको हो । यहाँ हामी सके सके-सम्म सम्पुर्ण बिषयबस्तुहरु समावेस गर्ने प्रयास गरिरहेका छौ। जस्ले गर्दा कुनैपनि लोकसेवाको तयारी गरीरहेका र कलेज पढ्दै गरेका विद्यार्थीहरुलाई धेरै उपयोगी हुनेछ भन्ने हाम्रो विश्वास रहेको छ। तपाईपनि आ-आफ्नो ठाँऊबाट हामीलाई सहयोग गरिदिनुहुन अनुरोध गर्दछौ । तपाई सँग एदी कुनै लोकसेवाको लागी सहयोगी सामाग्रीहरु साथै बिभिन्न संकायका शैक्षिक सामाग्रीहरु छन् भने हामीलाई lcdinesh57@gmail.com र dineshlamichhane57@gmail.com मा मेल गरी सहयोग गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ । । हामी तपाईको नाम सहित बल्गमा समावेस गर्नेछौ । (बल्गमा रहेको सामग्रीहरुबाट तपाईलाई कुनै एक बिषयको मात्र आवश्यक छ भने सँगै रहेको सर्च बटमबाट आफुलाई चाहिएको मात्र खोज्न सक्नुहुन्छ ।)

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Sam Hillyard

This text offers a critical introduction to the sociology of the rural. It draws upon classic and contemporary UK rural literature and the theoretical and methodological approaches dominant in each. As a means to ground the discussion, three case studies of three contemporary rural issues are explored. The approach applied across the book is one that is informed by interactionist theory and ethnography, building upon the rising status of qualitative methods in rural geography, and offers an alternative to the popular approaches of political economy and postmodernism. The emergence of rural sociology lies with the origins of the discipline of sociology itself towards the end of the nineteenth century. The charge to explain the impact of profound structural changes upon social ties and networks meant that the first sociological accounts were not merely rural, but urban and rural – the two dimensions went hand in hand. Hence Tönnies’s (1955) – the founding father of rural sociology – twin concepts of Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft (community and association) were just that: defined by the very distinctions between them. Whilst Tönnies’s contemporary, Geog Simmel, moved to address the emerging phenomenon of the industrial city (Simmel 1971), they faced similar theoretical challenges. Centrally, this was to explain the implications of tremendous technological advances and to translate the impact of profound economic restructuring upon human associations.

From fox-hunting to farming, the vigour with which rural activities and living are defended overturns received notions of a sleepy and complacent countryside. Alongside these developments, the rise of the organic food movement has helped to revitalize an already politicized rural population. Over the years 'rural life' has been defined, redefined and eventually fallen out of fashion as a sociological concept - in contrast to urban studies, which has flourished. This much-needed reappraisal calls for its reinterpretation in light of the profound changes affecting the countryside. First providing an overview of rural sociology, Hillyard goes on to offer contemporary case studies that clearly demonstrate the need for a reinvigorated rural sociology. Tackling a range of contentious issues, this book offers a new model for rural sociology and reassesses its role in contemporary society.Providing an overview of rural sociology, this title calls for the reinterpretation of rural life in light of the profound changes affecting the countryside. It offers case studies that demonstrate the need for a reinvigorated rural sociology. Tackling contentious issues, it presents a model for rural sociology and assesses its role in society. Sam Hillyard is Lecturer in Sociology, School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University.