Rural sociological perspectives and problems: a potted history

The discipline of sociology developed largely in response to social transformations associated with the Industrial and French Revo¬lutions. Not surprisingly, this lent early sociology a distinctly urban air. While issues associated with rurality were not omitted entirely from the sphere of sociological theorising, the social relations of industrialisation and urbanisation were seen as the fundamental problem matter of sociology. 'Rural' issues were consequently addressed, interpreted and, at times, ignored, according to the concerns and priorities of the broader sociological paradigm, because they were not considered 'problematic'. Industrialisation and urbanisation were identified as i:he quintessential features of modernity, reflected in, among others, Durkheim's Division of Labour, which marked rural communities and small-scale agricul¬ture as residual social categories (the 'other') marked by back¬wardness, conservatism and, inevitably, decline.' Many 'rural' people will argue, of course, that this 'urban bias' is still reflected today in many of their experiences with governments, service providers and 'urban' people more generally!

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Rurality Bites: the social and environmental transformation of rural Australia

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978-1-86403-169-0

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