The course presents an overview of rural studies, the main concepts and theoretical approaches used to analyse the functioning of the countryside and contemporary rural phenomena. It aims to go beyond images of the countryside as fixed and conservative, or on the contrary idealized in the face of the "urban monster", to account for the complexity and heterogeneity of rural spaces and their dynamics. While the countryside is often still dominated by agriculture, its functions and population are becoming increasingly diversified. The aim is also to understand rural areas in their relationship with urban areas, considering the articulations and interdependencies between the two. Through a series of current themes (agricultural systems, resource management, biodiversity conservation, heritage, tourism, mobility), this course addresses the complexity of social and economic issues (conflicts of use, development, practices, representations) that characterize rural areas around the world.
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