International Rural Sociology Association - IRSA

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Poster Exhibition

The co-chairs of the poster session invited posters on any of the World Congresses' themes. The overarching theme of the XII World Congress of Rural Sociology was to explore the economic, socio-cultural, political, and environmental context, and challenges, facing rural communities throughout the world. Particular emphasis was placed on uncovering strategies and mechanisms that rural citizens might utilize to engage in a self-determined form of development. Subsequently, congress papers paid particular attention to the possibilities for rural communities to adapt to and/or resist the negative aspects of globalizing tendencies.

Proposed sub-themes under this overarching theme were:

• The distribution of food resources and food security in the context of globalization.
• Global/local dimensions of rural community sustainability.
• Poverty alleviation in different rural contexts.
• Alternative models (e.g. Saemaul Undong) of rural development.
• Demographic dimensions of rural social change.
• Social capital and sustainable development.
• Alternative forms of agri-food system development in the context of food system industrialization.
• Gender and women's issues for rural community development.
• Ethnic dimensions of rural social change and development.
• Community empowerment and civic participation.
• The role of social movements and/or NGOs in empowering rural people and communities.

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