Convenors: Dr Eifiona Thomas Lane (Prifysgol Bangor University), Dr Matt Reed (University of Gloucestershire), Dr Elen Bonner, (Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales), Jessie Buchanan, (Together For Change).
Rural challenges persist in challenging academic research and practice based innovation though presenting wicked issues that often require or are best addressed though partnership and or place based local solutions and innovative approaches. This session calls for sharing of such exemplar research that are currently involved in bringing about integrative and more just policy for rural areas as sustainably planned places. Often such work draws from an integrated academic – practitioner understanding of rural lived experience, policy contexts and stakeholder framings of the challenges faced. This may support activities and give voice to or representations of normally challenged and/or marginalised groups e.g. creative practice, community based Carbon descent, inclusive heritage, cultural innovations, digital communication, marginalised farming families, housing development, food hubs, rural training and skills innovations and hyper-local relocalisation and health-based and wellbeing projects.
Papers are especially sought from collaborators involved in seeking just outcomes for rural communities. These may include community development organisations, local pilot case studies and evaluations and also wider academic-practitioner networks. Contributions from underrepresented groups are warmly welcomed to enable knowledge sharing.
The first session welcomes international case studies and calls on early career researchers working in this theme through innovative approaches, building local partnerships and / or influencing rural governance and funding.
The second hybrid panel session will invite members to engage in a facilitated lively discussion of innovative case studies, partnerships accessing rural wellbeing and good policy development.
If you would like to present a paper, please send contact details and abstracts to Dr Eifiona Thomas Lane (eifiona.thomaslane@bangor.ac.uk) by 12:00 noon on Monday 23rd February 2025.