SCORAI Working Group on Community, Collective Action, and Alternative Pathways calls for new participants

Posted on October 6, 2016 by RSO-Students

By Flora Sonkin, Jordan Treakle and Robert Orzanna,

A diverse group of scholars participated past summer in a series of special sessions on the theme of “Re-embedding the Social: New Modes of Production, Critical Consumption, and Alternative Lifestyles” that was part of the annual conference of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics held at the University of California Berkeley. In the aftermath of the conference there was considerable interest in trying to maintain momentum and extend the circle of participation. Continue reading →

Register now for RSO-55306 ‘A Global Sense of Place’

Posted on September 26, 2016 by ankedevrieze

In period 2, from October 31 till December 19, we’ll be teaching again RSO-55306 A Global Sense of Place: Place-based approaches to development. Registration for the course is open until October 2, 2016.

A Global Sense of Place 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.

Shaping resilient places. Source: Roep, D., Wellbrock, W, Horlings, I, 2015. Raising Self-Efficacy and Resilience in the Westerkwartier: The Spin-off from Collaborative Leadership, In: J. McDonagh, B. Nienaber, M. Woods (Eds.), Globalization and Europe’s Rural regions. Ashgate, Surrey, pp.41-58

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.

Language of instruction and examination is English. Classes are taught on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10.30 -12.30.

Key lecturers: Dr. ir. Joost Jongerden (RSO), Dr. Ir. Dirk Roep (RSO) and dr.ir. Martijn Duineveld (GEO)

For more information, please contact Anke de Vrieze, anke.devrieze@wur.nl.

Resistance in action in the Mayan region: “NO to GMO’s”

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Dirk Roep

Mayan women in a concert of the Ma OGM campaign. Source maria Boa

August 18 María del Refugio Boa Alvarado successfully defended her MSc-thesis ‘Resistance in Action; Mobilization of Mayan beekeepers against GM soy: The case of the ‘Colectivo MA OGM‘ for the Master International Master in Rural Development. Below a post by Maria.

Are you interested on social movements? On Indigenous rights? On collectives and their practices? For years, many social scientists have been fascinated by the study of social movements and collective action. In my case, I am fascinated by the research of complex associations that frame and articulate their claims or grievances. Particularly, the processes of social transformation that have their grassroots within indigenous communities. Continue reading →

Oratie Bettina Bock aan RUG over bevolkingsdaling en leefbaarheid in Noord Nederland

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Dirk Roep

Prof. dr ir Bettina Bock

Op 20 september a.s. houdt Bettina Bock, universitair hoofddocent bij de leerstoelgroep Rurale Sociologie van Wageningen Universiteit, haar oratie als bijzonder hoogleraar aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RUG) met als titel ‘Leegte en Ruimte; over bevolkingsdaling en leefbaarheid in Noord Nederland‘.

In de discussie over bevolkingsdaling en leefbaarheid ligt de nadruk doorgaans op leegte. Leegte die ontstaat als voorzieningen verdwijnen en de leegte die blijft als mensen verhuizen. In haar oratie stelt Bettina Bock naast leegte ook ruimte aan de orde. Ruimte voor vernieuwing en verandering, én ruimte voor nieuwe inzichten die ontstaat als we van perspectief wisselen en nieuwe vragen stellen. Lees verder het persbericht van RUG. Continue reading →