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The objectives of the Association are to: foster the development of rural sociology; further the application of sociological inquiry to the improvement of the quality of rural life; and provide a mechanism whereby rural sociologists can generate dialogue and useful exchange.

New book: Societal Deception: Global Social Issues in Post-Truth Times

This book provides a comprehensive overview of ‘societal deception’ – how and why people are deceived and led to believe fake news. Coherently blending critical political economy and sociology, the author provocatively examines how corporations, political parties, the media, think tanks and assorted ‘influencers’ seek to manipulate public opinion to achieve their goals. This book spans an array of contemporary topics and issues not normally tackled by a single writer – the media, genetic engineering, fast food, environmental pollution, climate change, economic inequality, political manipulations, sports, and religion. While critical in subject matter, and replete with easily accessible and reliable sources, this book is highly readable and entertaining for the general as well as academic audience interested in current global issues.

The book is written by former IRSA President Geoffrey Lawrence and published by Palgrave Macmillan.

President’s Corner: The privilege and challenges of being President of the International Rural Sociology Association


By Sally Shortall, IRSA President

I took over as President of IRSA in 2023 and felt privileged to do so. At a time when it feels that nationalism can make the world smaller and intolerant, it is an honour to lead an international network of scholars. Rural sociologists are interested in comparative analysis across the globe with a focus on understanding social processes and structures
and striving for a more equal society.

I had not anticipated some of the logistical challenges when I took up post. I decided to have three to four online meetings per year. There are many time zones to accommodate! I am very grateful to my colleagues who join very early online, or very late at night. Slowly we are making progress after the hiatus caused by Covid-19. I have now met with all the Presidents of the Regional Associations. This required two different
meetings, one very early in the morning for me and one very late at night. I am very grateful for the buy-in of the Presidents. Some people do not realise that IRSA is not an individual membership association, rather it is the regional associations who make up the membership.

I am particularly thankful that the Secretary-Treasurer Ray Jussaume agreed to stay on for my tenure. Institutional memory is critical for an association that tends to significantly change membership every four years.

Now we are working with our colleagues in Porto Alegre, Brazil who are organising the next IRSA Congress in Brazil in July 2026. We will be relying on you to support the Congress! Watch this space – more details and information will follow shortly.

IRSA President: Sally Shortall

Sally Shortall is interested in farm families, and how their values and decisions shape agricultural practice. She is particularly interested in the role of women in farm families. Her research on gender relations in agriculture has focused on dynamics of power, how it is accepted and almost unquestioned that women rarely inherit land, are not recognised by the industry, and have limited access to capital and training. This persists in a context of general improvements in gender equality. To date her research has focused on Europe, Canada, Australia, Tanzania and Nigeria. She is currently working on women’s role in leading on ecological transitions and leading a Horizon Europe project (2023-2026) on this question. She has published extensively on these questions. Sally is also involved in a Horizon Europe project (2023-2027) looking at farmer health and safety and mental well-being, with a focus on the ethics of interviewing farmers who have had life changing accidents.

Sally Shortall was twice elected President of the European Society for Rural Sociology (2015-17; 2017-19). She was elected First Vice-President of the International Rural Sociology Association (2016-2020).

She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2021, and elected an International Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry for international service to agriculture.

Sally holds Visiting Professorships in Queen’s University Belfast, and has a 30% appointment in the Technology University of the Southeast of Ireland. She is an Irish citizen.

International Rural Sociology Association Regional Presidents

President, Rural Sociological Society

  • Jennifer Sherman, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology
  • Washington State University
  • Wilson-Short 215, Pullman, WA 99164
  • 509-335-4163
  • jennifer_sherman@wsu.edu

President, Asociación Latinoamericana de Sociología Rural

President of the Australasian Food Network

  • Dr Emma Sharp, Rutherford Discovery Fellow
  • 301.531B | 23 Symonds Street | Te Kura Matai Taiao/ School of
  • Environment | Waipapa Taumata Rau/ The University of Auckland |
  • Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142 | Aotearoa/ New Zealand
  • el.sharp@auckland.ac.nz

President of the Asian Rural Sociology Association

  • Motoki Akitsu, Professor
  • Graduate School of Agriculture
  • Kyoto University
  • Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
  • e-mail akitsu.motoki.4r@kyoto-u.ac.jp

President: European Society for Rural Sociology

  • Annette Aagaard Thuesen, Associate Professor
  • The Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
  • Department of Political Science and Public Management
  • Danish Centre for Rural Research
  • University of Southern Denmark
  • +45 65 50 42 25
  • aat@sam.sdu.dk  
  • https://www.sdu.dk/ansat/aat  

Members of the IRSA board: Ruth McAreavey

Ruth McAreavey is Professor of Sociology at Newcastle University. Her research focuses on rural social change and inequalities; migration, research ethics and methodologies. She has published extensively on sustainable rural development and on inequalities faced by migrants in the labour market and in other parts of everyday life. Ruth’s research has been funded by government departments and agencies as well as independent charitable trusts.

Ruth is an active member of various international research networks including the European Society for Rural Sociology (ESRS) and the European Sociological Association. She is an elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and co-editor-in-chief of Sociologia Ruralis. Ruth is proactive in engaging with third sector organisations and with government departments. She is a Trustee of Plunkett UK.