Rural Citizen(ship) in Action: Grassroots Mobilisation for Ecological and Social Change
Language: English
We are particularly interested in the self-organising nature of these initiatives. Presentations should showcase how these bottom-up efforts operate autonomously, while also discussing their potential engagement with political institutions and broader civil society organisations, notwithstanding any underlying tensions. By bringing together different analytical frameworks and geographical contexts, whether from a theoretical viewpoint or through case-oriented studies, the session will provide insights into how rural citizens navigate and influence their socio-political landscape, fostering ecological and social justice. Additionally, we hope to receive research that emphasises rural transformations as hybrid, multiple, and intersectional, discussing how sociological elements such as gender and ethnicity differentiate the problems and coping strategies faced by rural citizens.
In sum, we aim to illuminate the ways in which rural citizens acquire and exercise qualities of citizenship by transforming their local struggles into significant forms of agency, that may transcend the physical and political borders of their geographical locations. These include, but not limited to, the defence of land, natural resources, the promotion of food sovereignty, and the resistance against environmentally destructive practices.