The Governance of Sustainable Rural Renewal A comparative global perspective Routledge Explorations in Environmental Studies Series

This book examines examples of rural regeneration projects through the public administration lens, analysing how governance arrangements in rural settings work. In particular, the author focusses on the role of communities, business and tiers of governance (local, regional, national, and supra national) in terms of delivery and funding.

By drawing on a range of case studies from the UK, US, Australia and South Africa, the book identifies best practice in governance, applicable to both academic conceptual debates and to practitioners engaged in real world governance of regeneration. While there are substantial political science, sociology and geography debates within the existing academic literature around food security, fair trade, urban-rural divides and supply chains, little has been written on the way in which governance in comparative global case study settings operates in achieving or underpinning rural renewal programmes.

Through the inclusion of dedicated sections in each chapter summarising both the links between academic debate and practice, this book will be of great interest to researchers and policy-makers in the field of rural development, and environmental politics and governance in general.

1. Why rural renewal? Challenges and context for governance 2. The urban-rural divide? Debates on rural renewal in theory and practice 3. Comparing rural renewal: examining themes, actors and outcomes 4. UK: Vale of Glamorgan 5. Australia: New South Wales 6. South Africa: Eastern Cape 7. USA: North Dakota 8. Relating theory to practice: praxis, comparison and lesson drawing in governing rural renewal 9. Concluding Remarks: opportunities, challenges and next steps

Rory Shand is Senior Lecturer in Public Services at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK