Video | Rural Sociology vs. Sociology of Development and Change Explained

Video | Are you a student interested in Rural Sociology (RSO) and wondering how it compares to Sociology of Development and Change (SDC) at Wageningen University & Research?

At Rural Sociology, we study societal change, inequality, and power with a focus on food, agriculture, and rural development. In this video, we explore how RSO and SDC approach these topics differently and what that means for your studies and research opportunities.

How does this relate to your interests? Our PhD researchers take you to Fruitproeverij Zandberg, an alternative agriculture site, to show how both groups conduct real-world research—helping you discover which themes and methods resonate with you.

Watch now to explore your options for courses, theses, or future research. Still unsure? Reach out to our education coordinator or drop by our hallway for a chat. A special thanks to Fruitproeverij Zandberg for allowing us to film at their inspiring location!

You are where you live

“Your house is more than the place where you happen to live. Student houses and residential communities often have their own character. How does that happen? And how does the house influence its residents? Judith Rommens (International Development Studies) wrote her thesis about the house she lived in for eight years – De Wilde Wereld – from the perspective of the building itself.

A student of International Development Studies wrote a thesis about the house where she lived, as well as her supervisor before her. Resource interviewed her to learn what inspired her to conduct this research and write a thesis not only about the house she lived in but also from the perspective of the house itself.

Read more here: https://www.resource-online.nl/index.php/2024/11/15/you-are-where-you-live/?lang=en

Het verhaal van De Wilde Wereld

Judith Rommens deed haar thesis onderzoek naar de invloed van materiële en sociale aspecten in collectief wonen door de tijd heen

Collectief wonen wordt steeds populairder en biedt aanzienlijke voordelen als oplossing voor hedendaagse huisvestingsproblemen en als inspiratiebron voor maatschappelijke ontwikkelingen. Hoewel onderzoek vaak gericht is op de pragmatische en innovatieve aspecten van collectief wonen, ontbreekt het aan diepgaand onderzoek naar de langetermijnontwikkeling van een collectief woonhuis en de interacties tussen het huis en zijn bewoners. Deze thesis verkent hoe materiële en sociale aspecten de ontwikkeling van een collectief woonhuis en de bewoners door de tijd heen beïnvloeden. Om de onderzoeksvraag te beantwoorden, heb ik een huisbiografie van een collectief woonhuis geschreven op basis van archiefonderzoek, auto-etnografie en interviews met (oud) bewoners en betrokkenen. De Wilde Wereld dat al sinds 1986 bewoond wordt en verschillende generaties bewoners heeft gekend, is als casestudy genomen.

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SWIFT Project: Strengthening Gender and Diversity in Agriculture

Last November, the SWIFT consortium gathered in Geneva for an inspiring and thought-provoking mid-term meeting. Over four days, researchers, farmers, and activists came together to share progress, exchange ideas, and discuss the future of gender and diversity in agriculture. From immersive discussions at Ferme du Lignon to policy debates at the Geneva Graduate Institute, the event highlighted the importance of feminist and queer perspectives in shaping agricultural policies.

Key topics included:
– Building feminist viability indicators with women farmers
– Participatory video-making for agroecological storytelling
– Gendered analysis of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy
– Strengthening visibility and rights of LGBTQIA+ farmers

Georgia Diamanti and Clara Lina Bader have captured these moments beautifully in their reflections, from engaging panels to farm visits that demonstrated alternative models of agriculture in action. Read their insights on the challenges and opportunities ahead for gender justice in food and farming!

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What is the power of citizenship?

Elective evening course: Major Works in Social Sciences (RSO59030)

What is citizenship? Why does it matter? How does it help us understand power in society?
Citizenship serves on one hand, as an apparatus of governance—a mechanism through which power is exercised via institutions, policies, and practices that determine the conditions under which rights are granted or withheld. On the other hand, citizenship is also a tool for empowerment, enabling individuals and groups to claim rights and, on that basis, drive political, social, and environmental change. But how does this process work in practice? And why is it particularly relevant for students aiming to address pressing crises in the environment, ecology, and food systems?

In this elective course we will read and discuss a book that outlines a critical theory of citizenship, with an emphasis on how citizenship institutes power relations and organizes different rights and obligations.

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