People in the Countryside

This book outlines the changes occurring in Britain's rural areas and their impact on people's lives. It challenges the image of the 'rural idyll' which many of the nation's city dwellers hold. A key feature of the book is the use of local case-study material to illustrate the major themes identified from a broader evaluation of the topics. This approach gives readers a better feel for the nature and implications of social change in the countryside than can be obtained from standard texts on rural geography.

Introduction - T Champion and C Watkins Recent Developments in the Social Geography of Rural Britain People Moving to the Countryside - S Harper Case Studies of Decision Making Middle Class Housing Choice - P Cloke, M Phillips and D Rankin Channels of Entry into Gower, South Wales Still no Homes for Locals? - M Shucksmith Affordable Housing and Planning Controls in Rural Areas People Working in Farming - G Clark The Changing Nature of Farmwork New Forms of Employment in Rural Areas - A Townsend A National Perspective Women in the Rural Labour Market - J Little A Policy Evaluation The Elderly and Disabled in Rural Areas - R Gant and J Smith Travel Patterns in the North Cotswolds Public Transport in the Countryside - P Bell and P Cloke The Effects of Bus Deregulation in Rural Wales Population and Social Conditions in Remote Areas - A McCleery The Changing Character of the Scottish Highlands and Islands Community Involvement in Rural Development - I Bowler and G Lewis The Example of Rural Development Commission Sources for the Study of Social Change in the Countryside - N Walford and A Hockey The Need for Integration