The European Society for Rural Sociology annual Summer School is especially designed for doctoral students and young researchers from all European countries and represents an opportunity for young researchers to meet and exchange experiences with colleagues from other European countries, to present their research work and to have it discussed by other participants including senior researchers.

“URBAN-RURAL COOPERATION FOR THE FUTURE”

The aim of the 2008 ESSRS is to attract young students, especially doctoral students of rural studies as well as related fields – such as regional development, geography, history, media and communication - dealing with the interdisciplinary topic of rural/local/community development. The theme/topic of the summer school is broad in order to cover a range of interests broadly relevant to the  future of rural areas and their relationship with urban and peri -urban areas.  The theme will include the struggle with expanding cities or  the deterioration of living  and economic conditions in some rural areas (changing conditions of agricultural production, diversification of rural economy, lack of infrastructure - roads, cuts of railway systems etc., social institutions, especially schools, health care etc.). The theme also allows a more  specific focus as well.

The  Summer School will therefore be of interest to young scholars, who study such questions  as :

1. rural-urban migration, counter-urbanization, suburbanization, de-population and over-population of rural places, representations, images of rurality and discourses on urban-rural relations in European countries and in the EU  and  national documents
2. “food link” between urban and rural people, urban/global demands and rural/local production,  sustainability and food production, tourism and food  production, short food chain, “basket –food” movement, bio-, fresh- and healthy food, vegetarianism, greenhouse effect and food production animal welfare
3. the urban and rural use of environment – co-operations and conflicts, urban and rural/local concepts and discourses on sustainability, urban colonization of rurality, sustainable use of natural resources, sociology of nature conservation, biodiversity and sustainable  development projects, knowledge dynamics and sustainable development,  social capital, networks and sustainability
4. gender questions in rural and urban context, gender division of labor in urban-rural context , gender roles, marital status and urban-rural migration , urban-rural residence on gender differences , women’s attitude and  impact  of rural-urban migration
5. power relations between urban and rural people, urban pressure on rural areas, ruralisaton of urban places,  intervention, “bottom up” and “top down” development, power relations and rural development systems and projects, rural community development, knowledge as source of power - intermediate actors and project class

VENUE

25-30 August 2008, Pannon University, Hungary

ORGANIZING INSTITUTIONS

• Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Sociology and Communication
• Nagykanizsa Campus of the Pannon University, Veszprém

COSTS

Food, lodging and local transportation expenses will be taken in charge by the organizers including one excursion into the surroundings. Participants will have to cover the travel costs to and from Nagykanizsa.

CONTACT

Andrea Szili, andrea.szili@chello.hu

For more information and call for applications see the attached document.