1. We seek to identify the dynamics of different forms of knowledge,
and their functioning in relation to economy and society, through case
studies in 12 different European countries of rural development. From
an ecological point of view, rural areas are key areas for the
transition to sustainable development. With the sustainability policy
switch, rural areas have gained new economic significance in the
post-industrial and post-agricultural development phase. This is
visible in the manifold reactivations of the countryside as a
diversifying, locally based economy encompassing new forms of
agriculture (including organic and non-food production), small-scale
food processing, new forms of rural tourism, new forms of managing the
complex natural resources which are found in or related to rural areas.
These reactivations, their varying social and institutional forms, and
their use of different forms of knowledge, are the subject of
case-study research through which this project seeks to contribute to a
comparative analysis of the emergence of European knowledge society,
and to the provision of a sound knowledge base for policies to manage
this transition.
2. Participating countries:
Czech Republic
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Scotland
Spain
Sweden
Initial Conclusions
Local knowledge, as an independent form of knowledge, has
become less and less important because of the modernisation of
agriculture, industrialisation and bureaucratisation of rural
development and nature protection. However, some re-vitalisation of
this knowledge form can be observed in the Irish, Scottish and Spanish
cases. Similarly, in the CEECs the knowledge form that persisted during
the socialist regime has been rediscovered recently. The western
European experience of industrialisation and the associated loss of
species and knowledge should prevent these countries from making the
mistakes of a “green revolution” (intensive use of industrial inputs)
without carefully analysing their environmental impacts caused by
modernization of agriculture).
The failure to integrate scientific and local knowledge is the most evident impediment of rural sustainable development.
In some countries, structures are developing to enable
dialogue between scientific/expert knowledge holders and ‘lay’ publics
around sustainable development policies, but ‘public participation’ is
still largely understand as a one-way transfer of knowledge from
experts to ordinary citizens.
However, there are some examples of excellent problem solving
and co-operation between actors using different forms of knowledge: in
reserve management and agri-environmental projects for example
ecological expert knowledge is used alongside, while local knowledge is
used in preserving traditional land-use practices and cultural
heritage.
Further Information
1. A cognitive approach to rural sustainable development – the dynamics of expert and lay knowledges (Corason).
Date of the final report: December 2006
2. URL: www.corason.hu
Key Publications
There has not been any publication yet.; however comparative reports on
3 of thematic workpackages have been delivered to the European
Commission
PARTICIPATING Research Institutions
Czech Republic Czech University of Agriculture CZUA
Germany ZALF, Muencheberg (ZALF)
Greece The Agricultural University of Athens (AUA)
Hungary Hungarian Academy of Sciences (IPS HAS)
Ireland University of Dublin, Trinity College (TCD)
Italy University of Napoli, University of Trieste (DTSEP)
Norway Centre for Rural Research (CRR)
Poland Consortium of U. of Krakov, U. of Lodz (UKL)
Portugal University Technica de Lisboa (UTL)
Scotland University of Aberdeen (UAB)
Spain UDERVAL-UVAL
Sweden Gothenburg University (UGOT)
Contact Person
• Contact person: Hilary Tovey (project coordinator)
• Institution name: Department of Sociology, Trinity College, Dublin
• Full address: College Green Dublin 2.
• Direct telephone number: 353 1 608 1371
• Fax number: 353 1 677 1300
• Email address:
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Briefing paper
