Reinvigorating Rural Values and Action—The Shift Towards New Perspectives on Rural Development

This chapter provides a synthesis of the increasing number of rural studies and policy assessment processes on rural development over the last decades. It focuses particularly on the implementation by EU Member States of the CAP since it first incorporated specific action on rural development. While highlighting the widespread concern amongst analysts and experts regarding balanced and sustainable territorial development, it assesses the limited success of the different policies and highlights the inherent failures of policy outlines, as manifested above all in the persistent “cleavages” between rural and urban areas. The main aim is therefore to explore the changes required in underlying policy narratives in order to reflect rural values and instigate rural action that seeks to identify and exploit the opportunities inherent in remote areas and place-specific natural assets. From this perspective, we also analyze ongoing discussions amongst research and policy actors in favour of a shift towards a long-term vision that departs from “business-as-usual” frameworks. Given the spatial diversity, legacy and institutional contexts, we believe that a fine geographical scale is of great importance and that local development will play an essential role in future transitions.