scholarly journals The role of farm diversification and peasant habitus for farm resilience in mountain areas: the case of the Ötztal valley, Austria

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rike Stotten
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Ecological Resilience ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Farm Diversification ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
The Social

PurposeBy examining a case study in Tyrol, Austria, the paper aims to demonstrate the role of farm diversification and the influence of the peasants’ habitus on social-ecological resilience.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on a field study conducted in two remote villages of the Ötztal valley, Austrian Alps, this study provides insights into the interplay of tourism and farming and its impact on farm resilience. Qualitative narrative interviews, the so-called farm biographies, served to investigate these issues. Interpretations of data are based on qualitative content analysis.FindingsThe results highlight that farming and tourism are highly enmeshed in the case study area and that the additional income creates room for manoeuvre for the farms to activate their adaptive capability. At the same time, peasant values guide the farming activities. The farms in this study demonstrate a strong farm resilience that is enabled by farm diversification and rooted in their peasant habitus. This positively affects the social-ecological resilience.Originality/valueIn contrast to other studies, which have mainly applied the concepts of social or community resilience to investigate the resilience and vulnerability of rural areas, this study highlights the resilience of farms in mountain areas.

scholarly journals An education approach for the Anthropocene epoch

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e448101119780
Author(s):  
Cristiane Mansur de Moraes Souza
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Social Learning ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Ecological Resilience ◽  
Considerable Uncertainty ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
The Social

It is now well established in the literature that there is a need to incorporate the concept of sustainability into education at all study levels. However, there is considerable uncertainty expressed concerning how it could best be achieved and how the resilience concept would enhance this idea. This article aims to address this gap. The objective is to explore aspects of socio-ecological resilience, that underlies a university case study. The methodology is exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory. Results demonstrate that civil engagement university activities are an education approach that provides students with experiences that build skills necessary for addressing the challenges of the Anthropocene Epoch. The conclusion of the article emphasizes that the education for the Anthropocene epoch should consider the enhancement of ecosystem services by demonstrating that humans are part of the social-ecological systems; considering interdisciplinarity as a methodological approach; demonstrating the variety of potentials on participation of stakeholders by civil engagement as developing autonomy both on students and stakeholders and developing the ability for proactive attitudes. Is also enhance learning and social learning by civil engagement and participation.

scholarly journals When Culture Materializes: Societal Dynamics in Resilience of Social-Ecological Systems in the Case of Conch Management on Abaco, The Bahamas

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Bomhauer-Beins ◽  
Corinna de Guttry ◽  
Beate Ratter
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Resilience ◽  
Cultural Significance ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Scientific Discussion ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Resilience Process ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Societal Dynamics

The concept of resilience has greatly contributed to the scientific discussion on human–nature interactions by analysing the dynamics, relationships and feedbacks between society and the natural environment at different levels. In this paper, we analyse how culture and societal dynamics influence those connections and, at the same time, have the potential to eventually hinder or foster social-ecological resilience. In order to do so, we take the example of a natural element which is also a cultural icon: the Conch (pronounced ‘konk’). Conch is a marine mollusc with significant social and cultural value for the islands’ society of The Bahamas. In the last decade, a decline in several Conch stocks has been documented, calling for an urgent sustainable management strategy. Nevertheless, only little efforts are happening. This case study offers an innovative understanding of resilience by introducing an aspect which is too often overseen: the role of culture in shaping social-ecological resilience. In this case study, the role of culture proved to be crucial as the cultural significance and embeddedness of Conch has made the management process challenging. But at the same time, culture can be used as a positive impulse towards adaptive management and as a starting point for sustainability. When culture materializes, it affects not only societal dynamics but also the vulnerability and the resilience process of the entire social-ecological system.

Sustainable farming entrepreneurship in the Sunraysia region

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 103-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Ratten
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Evolutionary Economics ◽  
Sustainable Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
Rural Economies

Purpose Sustainable entrepreneurship is crucial for the ongoing viability and growth of rural economies. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the role of farm entrepreneurs in the sustainable development of rural regional areas by focusing on the Sunraysia farming community in Australia. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical framework of evolutionary economics is utilized to understand the process of sustainable entrepreneurship for entrepreneurs in rural areas and a case study design is utilized to build theory linking place attachment, innovation legitimacy, and coopetitive behavior to sustainable farm entrepreneurship. The case studies are analyzed using an inductive approach to make theoretical contributions to rural and sustainable entrepreneurship. Findings The key findings are that coopetition is necessary amongst sustainable farm entrepreneurs in order to induce a culture of innovation. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on the Sunraysia region of Australia so might be limited in scope and replication to other geographic areas. Originality/value This study focuses on the role of rural regional areas and the special entrepreneurial characteristics of the Sunraysia region due to immigration and location advantages.

A project for Romania? The role of the civil society’s counter-accounts in facilitating democratic change in society

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oana Mihaela Apostol
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Transformative Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mining Project ◽  
Democratic Change ◽  
Interpretative Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look more closely, in the context of a given case study, at the role of civil society’s counter-accounts in facilitating democratic change in society, as an essential goal of an emancipatory and radical social accounting project. Design/methodology/approach – A case study of a Canadian company’s plans to open a gold mine in western Romania is here analysed. Civil society’s opposition to the mining project gave rise to an unprecedented social movement contesting the project’s utility for Romanian society. The role played by counter-accounts produced by civil society groups is investigated. Findings – Counter-accounts produced by civil society played multiple roles in the case study analysed. First, counter-accounts indicated the failure of corporate reports to present the gold mining project in a balanced manner. Second, counter-accounts were successful in problematizing the corporate approach to addressing the social, cultural and environmental impacts of the project, while also nurturing societal debate on these issues. Third, counter-accounts exposed the ideological inclinations of state institutions to favour economic interests over the social, cultural and environmental ones. As a result of these contributions, even if the counter-accounts were subjective, this study claims that they form a good basis for the development of emancipatory accounting. Research limitations/implications – Limitations associated with an interpretative approach and case study research apply. Originality/value – The paper illustrates the potential of civil society’s counter accounts to enable societal debates, as means towards democratic, transformative change.

scholarly journals The Role of Services and Facilities in Population Sustainability of Rural Settlements (Case Study: The Villages in Central Region of Birjand city)

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Hossein Hashemi ◽  
Hamid Jafari ◽  
Mohammad Ali Ahmadian
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Central Zone ◽  
Rural Settlements ◽  
Statistical Population ◽  
Economic Changes ◽  
Population Decrease ◽  
The Social ◽  
Population Sustainability

The studies show that today, the process of the social-economic changes and the increasing dynamism and replacement of the human groups have led to the changes in the rural areas. Therefore, the issue that basically, which factors have been effective on population sustainability in the rural settlements has been always arisen. The current study also has sought to find answer to this question. The current study is of descriptive-analytical type in terms of the methodology. The statistical population of the current study is all the villages in central zone of Birjand City which have had a population of more than 100 people (89 villages) according to 2016’s census. In order to determine the sample size, firstly 9 rural settlements in central zone of Birjand City which had the highest population decrease during 2006 to 2016, were selected. Then, based on the number of households in these 9 villages (691 households), 247 households were chosen according to Cochran Formula, to fill in the questionnaire, and finally, the samples were distributed by the stratified random sampling based on the ratio of each village’s household share. The descriptive-inferential method by the use of the SPSS was utilized for data analysis. The results indicated that the services and facilities have had a significant role in population sustainability of the rural settlements.

scholarly journals Stakeholders of public-private partnerships in Poland: an analysis of an evolving phenomenon

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Kusio
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Report Analysis ◽  
Original Case ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Personal Context ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose According to the growing role of stakeholders in the implementation of public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives, the purpose of this study is to diagnose the maturity of PPPs in Poland, taking into account the range of stakeholders’ participation in public-private initiatives. Design/methodology/approach The introductory study on the stakeholders of PPPs has been based on the report analysis of Polish initiatives and the case studies’ comparative analysis. The cases represent touristic projects realized within PPPs. Findings The results of the study indicate that the PPPs’ personal context, though recognized internationally, is to a very low extent present in the Polish case. As the PPP market is still in the process of development, the stakeholders’ issue should be taken into consideration in the processes of the PPP development in Poland. Practical implications As regional development is continuously a key issue, especially in rural areas context, the PPP initiatives are of great importance, and therefore the discussion of pros and cons in this context may contribute to the legislation at the regional level. Originality/value The study sheds some light and gives some interesting perspectives on the issue of the personal context of PPPs and social capital. Also, the text describes the path of developing PPPs in Poland and especially the touristic projects. The research part presents the original case study comparative analysis based on table-oriented form and as such enables the new way of contextual analysis.

Unbanked to banked: reintermediation role of banks in e-government services for financial inclusion in an Indian context

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessy Nair ◽  
Mohith Kumar Jain
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Services ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to develop a framework to implement electronic delivery systems for connecting federal government with rural citizens using banking infrastructure as a reintermediation platform; and second, to understand the challenges faced by banks in reintermediation for financial inclusion (FI). Design/methodology/approach This exploratory research adopts case study method to gain insights of the challenges faced by banks in e-government services for FI. In-depth structured interviews are conducted with key respondents: branch managers heading banks in rural areas. Findings Preliminary results based on in-depth interviews with branch managers of banks suggest that banks leverage facilitators called Bank Mitras (BM) (friends from bank as per the local language) to disseminate services offered by the banks to rural customers at each village. However, a key challenge faced by banks is the increased dependency on bank employees to complete the process of e-government transactions by the beneficiaries because of trust factor. Research limitations/implications This exploratory research builds on the case study approach using in-depth interviews with the branch managers of five banks as key respondents to develop the preliminary research framework for FI. Practical implications Policymakers can design banking systems to enhance transparency by implementing technologies and decentralizing routine transactions to citizens by enhancing the role of facilitators (BM). Social implications FI aims to reach out and empower citizens with banking facilities for disbursing e-government services. This process needs to be refined for the rural population of India to understand and better use the e-government services and schemes. Originality/value Insights from in-depth interviews with key respondents of the banks were collated and augmented with literature to enhance the rigor of the exploratory research.

scholarly journals Improving accountability for farm animal welfare: the performative role of a benchmark device

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-58
Author(s):  
Josie McLaren ◽  
Tony Appleyard
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Repetitive Process ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
On Farm

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate accountability for farm animal welfare (FAW) in food companies. FAW is an important social issue, yet it is difficult to define and measure, meaning that it is difficult for companies to demonstrate accountability. The authors investigate a proposed solution, the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW), and how it has disrupted the informal rules or culture of the market. The research questions centre on the process of response to BBFAW and the necessary characteristics for BBFAW to play a performative role in the market. Design/methodology/approach This paper employs an analysis of published BBFAW reports (2012–2017) and case study interviews in five BBFAW firms, in order to address the research questions. Findings The authors present evidence of a dynamic, repetitive process, starting with recognition of the importance of FAW and BBFAW, followed by internal discussions and the commitment of resources, and changes in communication to external stakeholders. Three necessary characteristics for performativity are proposed: common language, building networks and expanding markets. Originality/value This paper reflects a socially important issue that is under-represented in the accounting literature. The results provide an insight into the use of external accounts to drive collaboratively the social change agenda. The performativity process and identified characteristics contribute to expanding this literature in the accounting domain.

scholarly journals Do community seed banks contribute to the social-ecological resilience of communities? A case-study from western Guatemala

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 232-249
Author(s):  
Anna Porcuna-Ferrer ◽  
Valentin Fiala ◽  
Bernhard Freyer ◽  
Jacob van Etten ◽  
Ronnie Vernooy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Banks ◽  
Ecological Resilience ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
The Social

scholarly journals Using a social-ecological systems perspective to understand tourism and landscape interactions in coastal areas

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasper Hessel Heslinga ◽  
Peter Groote ◽  
Frank Vanclay
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Planning ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Ecological Resilience ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
The Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to look at the potential synergies between tourism and landscapes and examine the potential contribution of tourism to build social-ecological resilience in the Dutch Wadden. Design/methodology/approach The authors reveal how a social-ecological systems perspective can be used to conceptualize the Wadden as a coupled and dynamic system. This paper is a conceptual analysis that applies this approach to the Dutch Wadden. The data used for the inquiry primarily comes from a literature review. Findings The authors argue that the social-ecological systems perspective is a useful approach and could be used to improve the governance of multi-functional socio-ecological systems in coastal areas. Opportunities for synergies between tourism and landscapes have been overlooked. The authors consider that tourism and nature protection are potentially compatible and that the synergies should be identified. Research limitations/implications This paper is only a conceptual application rather than an empirical case study. Further research to actually apply the methodology is needed. Practical implications Managers of protected areas should consider applying a social-ecological systems approach. Social implications The views of a wide variety of stakeholders should be considered in landscape planning. Originality/value The value of this paper lies in the articulation of the social-ecological systems perspective as a way to identify and understand the complex interactions between tourism and landscape, and the potential synergies between them.

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