The discursive construction of an active rural community

Abstract

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How Do Community Development Activities Affect the Construction of Rural Places? A Case Study from Finland

“…Changes in villages are represented as an inevitable part of progress and internal development challenges. Villages have a moral obligation to respond to them, and adopting an entrepreneurial attitude is part of the solution (Kumpulainen ).…”

“…The roles of the public sector, state and municipalities have decreased in rural areas, followed by a centralisation of public services, which has emphasised the role of non‐governmental organisations and local communities in taking care of the living conditions and welfare of citizens (Kumpulainen ). According to rural policy programme (The national village action programme 2008–2013, p. 9) ‘When municipalities and the state leave villages because of the municipality and service structure reform, village associations must take more responsibility in organizing local services’.…”

“…The community development approach can be considered part of the post‐productivist changes to rural areas: a shift in primary production based on natural resources and associated changes in land use and an increased diversification of policy, regimes and technologies (Mather et al ), as well as changes to the structures and practices of social life in rural communities. The adoption of community development practices as a way to increase the vitality of rural areas can also be seen as a part of neoliberal development and the renegotiation of the roles of the public, private and third sectors (Woods ; Kumpulainen ). Due to the centralisation of services, the role of the state and municipalities has decreased in rural territories, and the significance of local actors, non‐governmental organisations and individuals has become increasingly important in organising community‐level activities and taking care of local infrastructure and assets.…”

“…In Finland, this is reflected in Finnish rural policy and national village action programmes (Kumpulainen ). According to these programmes, the community development approach is the only option to ‘save’ villages (Kumpulainen ). Since the 1990s, community development practices have been widely adopted in Finnish villages, and there has been a registered village association in almost every village in Finland (The national community development programme of Finland 2014–2020).…”

Social Landscape Optimization of Towns and Villages at the County Level by Developing a Compound Ecological Capital System

“…Some farmers have formed their own unique style, have attracted a large number of fans, and have earned a good income. This sub-cultural phenomenon has affected the social events in many rural communities [53]. Many farmers gather to play Douyin, commercializing the folk culture of their hometown, calling for characteristic agricultural products, appealing for the urban elite to visit, etc.…”