Regulation, Land Development and the Contested Countryside

This paper attempts to reorientate locality specific studies of counterurbanisation within the wider processes of global and national socio-economic change. It draws on concepts of Regulation Theory and begins with an explanation of the global and national influences associated with rural restructuring. These influences, together with the emergence of a reconstituted rurality, are traced through to the local level using Bridgetown in the south-west of Western Australia as a vehicle for conceptual analysis.     

Ethnic Restructuring in Rural America: Migration and the Changing Faces of Rural Communities in the Great Plains

Scholars have long documented widespread aging and depopulation of rural communities in the Great Plains. Paralleling these trends is the emergence, growth, and spatial dispersion of new and longtime non-white populations across the region. The dual processes of population loss in many counties combined with the growth of new, non-white population groups suggest that the ethnic structure of the population is changing. In this article we utilize choropleth maps, Hoover and Simpson indexes, and cluster analysis to assess whether the emergence and growth of ethnic minority groups in the Great Plains between 1970 and 2008 is a localized phenomenon or region-wide shift in the ethnic composition of the population. Results suggest that as depopulation is occurring in many counties of this region, the growth of non-white populations, both immigrant and native born, is changing or restructuring the ethnic composition of the Great Plains.     

Rural Restructuring and the Changing Geography of Competitive Sport

The geography of sport has received relatively little attention from those interested in processes of rural social and economic change. This is despite the important role that sport plays in the structure of rural communities and regions. In addition to the obvious health benefits associated with physical activity, sport contributes to community identity and provides opportunities for social interaction. There is, however, considerable evidence to suggest that processes of restructuring are having direct impacts on sport in rural areas. Drawing on a case study from rural Western Australia, this paper argues that economic adjustment in the farming and business sectors, service withdrawal, and population decline are just some of the changes undermining the viability of sporting clubs in rural areas. We suggest that while sporting clubs have tended to be resilient in the face of restructuring, it is also clear that one of the outcomes is a changing geography of sport in declining rural areas.     

Recent population characteristics and growth in the USSR

"Data from the preliminary results of the 1989 census and Naseleniye SSSR 1987 permit analyses of age-sex structures of the Soviet population and distributions by civil divisions of natural growth rates, total population growth, urban growth, rural growth, percent urbanization, and growths of cities. The paper complements the treatment of census results by macroregions appearing in the November 1989 issue of Soviet Geography...by summarizing trends emerging at a finer scale of analysis and providing recent background information on demographic components of population change."     

From Rural Dilution to Multifunctional Countryside: Some pointers to the future from South Australia

Rural dilution, a term originally used in the UK in the 1950s, refers to change in the social composition of rural populations: those elements engaged in primary production (and its necessary servicing) are thinned out by agricultural restructuring and labour shedding, while at the same time in-migration of new elements (retirement, long-distance commuting, lifestyle migration) is occurring. The extent to which such dilution occurs is influenced by a number of factors, including distance in travel time from the nearest metropolitan or other large city, location with respect to the coast/perceived environmental amenity, and rural population density. This paper explores changes in traditional rural communities in Southern Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, which lie 2½-3 hours' drive from Adelaide and have been subject to substantial rural dilution. Drawing on two detailed surveys of the strictly rural (dispersed) population of the region carried out in 1984 and replicated in 2000, some important social impacts of the recent migration flows are identified, including changes in perceived community identity and allegiance, shopping and business patterns, and the very recent impact of the uptake of electronic communication innovations. The paper concludes with an assessment of the extent to which the trends identified are likely to continue, and mould future communities in similar distance and amenity situations over the next 10-20 years, changing the nature of rurality in Australia.     

Rural restructuring and social sustainability: some reflections on the Western Australian wheatbelt

Over the past three decades the Western Australian wheatbelt has undergone dramatic economic, environmental and social changes precipitated, primarily, by the process of rural restructuring. Farm amalgamation, environmental degradation, labour market adjustments and severe population decline have been consistently noted trends throughout much of the wheatbelt. The ongoing and integrated nature of these problems has led to increasing calls for a more holistic approach to sustainable rural development. This paper argues that while considerable efforts are being made to find solutions to the economic and environmental problems faced in the wheatbelt, these endeavours do not address many important problems faced by rural communities. It therefore advocates the inclusion of a social dimension in any attempt to achieve an overall goal of rural sustainability.     

The Changing Geography of U.S. Hispanics from 1990–2006: A Shift to the South and Midwest

Abstract

Between 1990 and 2000 the U.S. Hispanic population increased by 14 million, which is the largest decadal population rise in United States history. This increase was not spread evenly throughout the United States, nor was it isolated to locations that already had large Hispanic populations. On the contrary, areas that previously had a relatively small Hispanic population experienced large percentage increases. In this article the regional variability in Hispanic population growth is explored, along with an emphasis on the economic pull factors driving those demographic changes. This analysis illustrates how restructuring in the meatpacking industry, and the associated economic impacts, have created a dependence on a low wage, illegal labor force that has shaped the recent demographic trend in the South and Midwest.     

A sociodemographic typology of middle-level regions in the USSR

"Oblast-level regions of the USSR are grouped and mapped in nine types and a number of subtypes to reflect a combination of demographic factors: level of urbanization, urban and rural population growth, and population density. The typology can be used to devise sets of spatially differentiated measures to carry out a demographic policy and to regulate the sociodemographic evolution of regions."     

Spatial Patterns of Migration and Income Change in the Mountain West: The Dominance of Service‐Based,Amenity‐Rich Counties

One of the most recognizable and important changes occurring in the West is rapid population growth. This article intends to address questions associated with whether patterns of population growth and income migration are associated with “new” and “old” West economies. Rural restructuring in the U.S. has created a group of counties with service‐based economies. In the Mountain West, a number of counties with service‐based economies are located in areas with high levels of environmental or natural amenities, creating what has been termed the “New West.” Migration to the rural parts of the Mountain West, and the income transfers associated with migration, are increasingly concentrated within these New West counties. Rapid population growth, the changing characteristics of in‐migrants, and their spatial concentration in New West counties provide a basis for conflicts over what the rural West is becoming.     

Spatial Patterns of Migration and Income Change in the Mountain West: The Dominance of Service-Based,Amenity-Rich Counties

One of the most recognizable and important changes occurring in the West is rapid population growth. This article intends to address questions associated with whether patterns of population growth and income migration are associated with “new” and “old” West economies. Rural restructuring in the U.S. has created a group of counties with service-based economies. In the Mountain West, a number of counties with service-based economies are located in areas with high levels of environmental or natural amenities, creating what has been termed the “New West.” Migration to the rural parts of the Mountain West, and the income transfers associated with migration, are increasingly concentrated within these New West counties. Rapid population growth, the changing characteristics of in-migrants, and their spatial concentration in New West counties provide a basis for conflicts over what the rural West is becoming.     

乡村发展与重构格局特征及振兴路径——以广西为例

乡村重构是实施推进乡村振兴战略的重要手段,系统开展典型地区乡村发展与重构的格局特征及问题识别研究,是新阶段面向乡村振兴战略需求科学施策的基础。以广西为案例地,基于熵值法支持下的TOPSIS模型,分时段综合评价全区乡村发展水平和乡村重构强度的格局特征,识别乡村发展与重构的问题区域,探讨实现乡村振兴的调控路径。结果表明：研究期内广西乡村发展水平快速提升,乡村地域正在由相对均质走向异质发展态势;各研究时段经济、社会、空间重构强度均值逐渐增大,经济重构愈发加快,空间重构后来居上但仍相对滞后;经济—社会—空间重构耦合度和协调度均值逐渐提升,但当前协调水平仍然不高。基于上述研究,识别出乡村发展与重构存在若干问题的7类计37个县域,问题区域的形成折射着地理环境影响的痕迹,是社会经济要素变化背景下地形地貌、区位条件、资源条件、经济基础、行为主体、区域政策多种因素综合作用的结果。乡村地域的健康发展有赖于经济—社会—空间的协调耦合,乡村振兴的实现既需要从宏观层面统筹谋划乡村重构的区域路径,还需要针对问题区域及其关键领域研制促进乡村社会经济发展和空间优化的调控措施。     

Rural restructuring in China: Theory,approaches and research prospect

Rural restructuring is a process of reshaping socio-economic morphology and spatial pattern in rural territory in response to the changes of elements both in kernel system and external system of rural development, by optimally allocating and efficiently managing the material and non-material elements in the two systems. It aims at ultimately optimizing the structure and promoting the function within rural territorial system as well as realizing the coordination of structure and complementation of function between urban and rural territorial system. This paper establishes a theoretical framework of rural restructuring through elaborating the concept and connotations as well as analyzing the mechanism pushing forward rural restructuring based on the evolution of “elements-structure-function”, and probes the approaches from the three aspects of spatial restructuring, economic restructuring and social restructuring. Besides, the authors argue that the study of rural restructuring in China in the future needs to focus on the aspects of long-term and multi-scale process and pattern, mechanism, regional models, rural planning technology system and standard, policy and institutional innovations concerning rural restructuring as well as the impacts of globalization on rural restructuring, in order to serve the current national strategic demands and cope with the changes of rural development elements in the process of urban-rural development transformation.     

中国乡村重构——理论、方法和研究展望（英文）

Rural restructuring is a process of reshaping socio-economic morphology and spatial pattern in rural territory in response to the changes of elements both in kernel system and external system of rural development,by optimally allocating and efficiently managing the material and non-material elements in the two systems.It aims at ultimately optimizing the structure and promoting the function within rural territorial system as well as realizing the coordination of structure and complementation of function between urban and rural territorial system.This paper establishes a theoretical framework of rural restructuring through elaborating the concept and connotations as well as analyzing the mechanism pushing forward rural restructuring based on the evolution of"elements-structure-function",and probes the approaches from the three aspects of spatial restructuring,economic restructuring and social restructuring.Besides,the authors argue that the study of rural restructuring in China in the future needs to focus on the aspects of long-term and multi-scale process and pattern,mechanism,regional models,rural planning technology system and standard,policy and institutional innovations concerning rural restructuring as well as the impacts of globalization on rural restructuring,in order to serve the current national strategic demands and cope with the changes of rural development elements in the process of urban-rural development transformation.     

山地旅游小镇功能转型与重构的时空特征研究——-以黄山风景区汤口镇为例

山地旅游小镇是新时代乡村发展的重要类型,功能转型与空间重构是山地旅游小镇转型发展的核心内容之一。本研究采取参与式农村评估方法、GIS空间分析和高清遥感影像相结合的方法,以汤口镇为例,从微观尺度研究山区旅游乡村功能转型与空间重构的过程与格局。研究显示:(1)汤口镇生活功能由传统型向现代型转变,生产功能由农业主导型过渡到农旅融合型再向旅游主导型转变,生态功能由单一型向多元复合型转变。(2)旅游经济发达镇区相较于边缘乡村社区,旅居综合混质度较低。其中,旅游与居住时间分配相对均衡,宅屋空间倾斜于旅游,社群上融合度高,各区域间各混质维度存在差异。(3)汤口镇经历了旅游空间引入、生成、快速重构和导控更新4个重构阶段。该研究可为汤口镇村镇建设和旅游发展提供参考,也为下一步研究其转型发展的模式与机制奠定基础。     

Transition and Diversity in Rural Housing Provision: The case of Narrogin,Western Australia

The purpose of this paper is to examine the changing dynamics of housing markets in an Australian rural community. With reference to the case of Narrogin, Western Australia, it argues that there is an increasing disjuncture between the social and demographic characteristics of rural residents and the modal form of housing in country towns, namely the detached family house. Factors contributing to this disjuncture include the ageing of the population, the loss of traditional blue-collar employment, sub-regional restructuring of service provision, retirement migration patterns, and growing acceptance of the particular housing needs of groups such as the aged, the disabled, young and indigenous people. While it is clear that there is currently something of a mismatch between the characteristics of the population and the housing stock in Narrogin, it is also evident that a combination of political, cultural and economic factors form a significant barrier to adjustment in the local housing market.     

中国人口城镇化质量评价及省际差异分析

新型城镇化是中国的重要国策,对人的城镇(市)化的科学评价是正确认识城镇化和制定相关政策的重要基础.目前城--乡二元分析框架下的以城镇化率和城镇(或区域)城镇化质量为主的评价方法,难以反映城镇化过程中社会结构的变化,同时乡村人口的城镇化发展也被忽略.本文提出人口城镇化质量的概念,建立了衡量人口城镇化质量的指标体系.对1995,2000,2005,2010和2012年全国及各省市的城镇人口,乡村人口及总人口的城镇化质量进行了分析.研究发现:① 尽管城镇人口的城镇化速度显著快于乡村人口,但城镇化并非城镇人口独有的社会过程.② 城乡两类人口的城镇化质量在省域尺度上正逐步形成差异明显的空间格局.③ 北京,上海,浙江等少数省市乡村人口的城镇化质量已经超越部分内地省市城镇人口的城镇化质量.建议更新对城镇化的认识和评价标准,探索在城镇化发达的地区调整城--乡二元体制的新途径,促进中国城镇化的健康发展.     

Growth of rural population: a case study of Patiala district,Punjab

"Based on the census data, the present paper focuses on patterns of rural population growth in the Patiala district [India] during 1951-81. The striking spatial variations in growth rate were associated largely with migration differentials in the study area. Similarly, there were wide differentials in the population growth rates between scheduled castes and non-scheduled castes and among different religious communities. The proportion of different castes and communities to the total population changed due to their uneven growth rates."     

EXPLANATIONS FOR THE INTENSIFICATION OF COUNTERURBANIZATION IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY *

Evaluating yearly net migration for the Federal Republic of Germany establishes the importance of demographic restructuring and government policies as explanations for the counterurbanization phenomenon. Counterurbanization, the spatial demographic deconcentration of regional population, is measured as an inverse relationship between the net migration rate and population sizes of functional urban regions. A counterurbanization pattern filtered-down from older to younger age-groups of the population, and appears related to an increasing preference for small-sized regions with natural amenities. For foreigners, a counterurbanization direction of movement can be explained by changes in immigration laws. While counterurbanization may be slowing down during the 1980s in certain developed countries, such as the United States, in the Federal Republic the phenomenon intensifies throughout the 1970–84 time period. Based on broad national demographic changes in combination with agespecific patterns of movement, this strong counterurbanization trend should continue well into the future.     

Patterns of Growth and Change: Depicting the Impacts of Restructuring in Idaho

Geographers and other social scientists investigating the impact of economic and demographic restructuring have tended to focus on urban metropolitan areas. There has been much less exploration of the local impacts of such change in largely nonmetropolitan locales. Many of these nonmetropolitan regions, however, are some of the fastest growing in the U.S. This article addresses this issue by examining, at the county level, economic and population trends in the state of Idaho. Generally recognized for its agricultural outputs (such as potatoes), Idaho experienced a population growth rate of 18.1 percent during the 1990s, making it one of the fastest growing states in the U.S. However, population growth and the associated changes in the local economy were unevenly distributed across the state. This article develops a typology of growth and change, indicating patterns of growth related to two predominant trends: high–tech footloose capital investment and amenity– and tourism–related residential development. Implications of this analysis for future research are discussed.     

Rural Social Networks along Amazonian Rivers: Seeds,Labor and Soccer among Communities on the Napo River,Peru

Research on Amazonian communities has focussed more often on rural‐urban linkages than on links among rural communities. This is unsurprising, given the low density of population, limited intercommunity commerce, and importance of direct city‐market relations. Social relations among rural communities are also important in shaping rural livelihoods and lifeways. We report on the findings of a large‐scale census of communities in the Napo River basin in northeastern Peru (n=174). Data were gathered on intervillage crop seed acquisition and cooperative labor sharing as two key inputs in agriculture, and on intervillage soccer matches, which are integral to rural social life. We analyze the socio‐spatial networks of each practice, paying attention to settlement patterns, community ethnicity, and differential access to the uplands. We find that seeds and labor flow along soccer network lines. Rural social networks appear to be structured strongly by ethnicity (homophily) and reflect important complementarities between upland and lowland communities (weak ties).