Conflict and change in the countryside

This is a carefully designed text for students of the social and economic aspects of rural life in Western developed countries, emphasising the pressures and problems associated with recent change. The book adopts a three part structure, with the first four chapters examining the nature and structure of rural society including the urbanisation of rural communities, depopulation and counterurbanisation.
The second part deals with rural economy and includes chapters on agricultural change, rural industry and the impact of recreation and tourism. The final part considers the implications of these economic and social features and fluxes for rural planning and development, particularly reconciling the conflicting goals of conservation with ensuring quality of life and prosperity for country dwellers.
The general theme of the book is the way in which rural areas have been affected by economic change and urbanisation since 1945. The perspective is both theoretical and applied, examples being drawn from Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. It is an essential text for students of human geography, rural sociology, planning and agriculture.