Category Archives: RSO-student

Course Global sense of place in period 2

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Volcano-crater-observation-deck-by-Javier-Mera-Jorge-Andrade-and-Daniel-Moreno_dezeen_784_3The course RSO-55306 A Global Sense of Place starts soon, so please register if you are interested to follow this. It  is an optional interdisciplinary course on sustainable place-based development for students from various master programmes (e.g. MDR, MES, MID, MLP, MUE, MOA, MFN). The course builds on the BSc course RSO-56806 Sociology and Anthropology of Place-shaping providing an introduction to place-based approaches in development. Knowledge of this introductory course is an advantage, but is not assumed. The course aims to make students acquainted with an interdisciplinary and place-based approach to development.

A relational place-based approach is seen as key to the understanding of interrelated rural and urban transformation processes and ergo sustainable development. In a relational approach places are considered as contingent but in time and space differentiated outcomes of three interrelated interdependent and unbounded transformative processes: political-economic, ecological and social-cultural. Places are time and space specific constructs, like their boundaries and connections.

By means of this course students will achieve profound understanding in key-concepts and methods on place-based sustainable development. Work from key thinkers in sustainable place-making will be critically discussed and examined on the basis of various cases. Guest speakers are invited to reflect on place-based approaches to sustainable development and illustrate these through case studies. Ultimately students will acquire a place-based perspective on development.

Main themes of the course

Central to a place-based approach is the conceptions of place as: 1) Arenas for negotiation, conflicting interests and power struggles; 2) Endowed with meaning and the constitution of identities, subjectivities and difference.

Different interdisciplinary themes will be addressed such as:

  • a relational approach of place and space;
  • key thinkers on place and space;
  • politics of place;
  • community development;
  • cultural approaches of place-based development
  • ‘the human dimension’, encompassing collaboration and leadership
  • ‘defence’ of places and conflicts

For more information, you can contact lummina.horlings@wur.nl

Farm Experience Internship 2015

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By Lucie Sovová and Elske Hageraats (FEI coordinators ‘Stichting Boerengroep’).

Farm Experience Internship 2015

Farm Experience Internship 2015

The Farm Experience Internship (FEI) is a 3ECTS summer course on agroecology that offers the students to get hands on experience from organic and bio-dynamic farms in the Netherlands. This year it took place from 20th of July till 14th of August. The main organizer of the course was Stichting Boerengroep with the academic support of the Rural Sociology Group. Continue reading →

Future perspectives for farmers in Amstelland – Michelle Steggerda

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By Michelle Steggerda, MSc Organic Agriculture Wageningen University

Amstelland - SteggerdaFrom March till July 2015 I’ve done my internship at the research institute Alterra. Alterra is part of Wageningen University and Research Centre and specializes in the ecology, the spatiality and the governance of green spaces. My assignment was to conduct a research about the future perspectives for farmers in Amstelland, a peri-urban but still predominant agricultural area located south of Amsterdam. This was part of a larger project for the Wageningen UR Science Shop on behalf of the civil society organisation Stichting Beschermers Amstelland. Continue reading →

Open for applications: graduate workshop in Kyoto, Japan in May 2016

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From May 24 to May 27 Kyoto University, represented by the Graduate School of Economics and the Graduate School of Agriculture, together with the Rural Sociology Group of Wageningen University, organize a Second Graduate Workshop. The workshop is intended for graduate students (both master and PhD) and takes place within the context of a collaboration between both institutes. The objective of the workshop is to become acquainted and discuss ongoing social sciences research within Kyoto University and Wageningen University, with an emphasis on the political economy and the sociology of agriculture and food.

Students who are interested can request an application form or more info at: joost.jongerden@wur.nl

Reflections on the ‘Resource Revolution’ excursion by RUW

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By: Fabian Kemps Verhage – WUR-student and participant of the ‘Resource Revolution’ Excursion.

Who can Lease me a Pair of Shoes?

During the RUW-excursion ‘Resource Revolution’ to Berlin and Leipzig I discussed with a friend how we could make our society more sustainable. We concluded that it would be a good start if people would only buy those things that they really needed, meaning those products and services that substantially improved their well-being. Effective shampoo and long-lasting jeans would fall under that category, but cranberry-extract shampoo and fast-fashion jeans would not. We wondered whether our society would be more sustainable if people would only buy those things they came up with by themselves (e.g. “Ah, my feet are cold. I need a good pair of shoes”), instead of being driven into purchases by marketing (e.g. “Wow, these new sneakers are so cool! I really want to buy them.”

Students during RUW's Resource Revolution (Source: @Mbr_EvO; Erik-Jan van Oosten)

Students during RUW’s Resource Revolution (Source: @Mbr_EvO; Erik-Jan van Oosten)

Continue reading →