ERIC Number: EJ756885
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Apr
Pages: 23
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0743-0167
EISSN: N/A
Differentiating Countryside: Social Representations and Governance Patterns in Rural Areas with High Social Density--The Case of Chianti, Italy
Brunori, Gianluca; Rossi, Adanella
Journal of Rural Studies, v23 n2 p183-205 Apr 2007
One of the key factors for the success of development strategies in rural areas is the setting up of appropriate governance patterns, whose main outcome is a fluid communication between public and private organisations and an effective integration of objectives and policies. Through a "post-rural" approach, this paper aims to analyse an attempt to reconfigure patterns of governance taking place in a well-known rural area, the Chianti (Tuscany, Italy). The Chianti can be considered as a typical example of a post-rural area, characterised by a highly complex civil society, with a large number of organisations representing their constituencies' interests, which strongly characterise the local social and economic processes. In this area wine is the most important industry, both for its weight in terms of added value and employment but also for the multiplier effects that its reputation has on the overall economy, and local wine elites have historically had a strong hold on local society. Along with rural change leading to social and economic diversification and growing administrative complexity, the dominance of wine elites is challenged by a coalition of actors led by the mayors of the local municipalities. The resulting struggle for hegemony is played out through an intense inside/outside interaction, which contributes to continuous attempts to redefine local identities. The paper explores the role that the building of social representations of rurality by local elites plays in the creation of new rural governance patterns in the area.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Municipalities, Rural Areas, Rural Education, Government (Administrative Body), Governance, Power Structure, Political Influences, Political Power, Industry, Economic Impact, Socioeconomic Influences, Local Government, Difficulty Level, Change Strategies
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Italy
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A