Producing Postman Pat: The popular cultural construction of idyllic rurality

This paper concerns the popular cultural representation of English rurality. It focuses upon Postman Pat, a popular cultural phenomenon which has come to be routinely cited as exemplary and iconic of contemporary imaginings of the English countryside as idyllic. The idea that Anglocentric popular culture (re)produces this sort of ‘rural idyll’ – and that these idylls are particularly laden with cultural and ideological baggage – has been well rehearsed. However, this paper considers a question which has too often been overlooked or taken for granted: how, exactly – and I mean literally, actually, in detail, in practice – does this sort of idyllic rurality come to be constructed? Through conversations with two key figures in the creation of Postman Pat, the paper begins to develop an understanding of some of the everyday, banal, nitty gritty practices, decisions and encounters which must be understood as fundamentally part of the production of (this) ‘rural idyll’.     

EU rural development policy in the new member states: Promoting multifunctionality?

European Union (EU) enlargement has seen 10 new member states (NMS) adopt the full range of EU policies. Within this, the rural development arm of the Common Agricultural Policy offers particular points of interest. Member states chose from an extensive list of policy measures developed within the EU15 and intended, in particular, to operationalise the concept of rural multifunctionality within the ongoing CAP reform process. This paper identifies the rural development policy choices made by the eight central and eastern European NMS and develops a taxonomy to ascertain the extent to which the NMS are directing public funds to promote multifunctionality. A number of factors are then identified as helping to influence the policy choices made across countries.     

新型农村合作医疗制度与农村互助医疗制度的差异性分析

新型农村合作医疗和农村互助医疗两种农村医疗保障制度为解决农民因病致贫和因病返贫问题都做出了贡献。调查研究表明,由于两种制度的制度设计差异,所获得的效果也不同。本文侧重于对这两种制度的基金筹资方式、运行模式和管理方式的差异性进行分析,并针对存在的问题提出相应的建议。     

取消农业税前后农村基层组织建设与职能演变研究

着眼于农业税取消前后农村基层组织职能的演变进程,探索农村基层组织建设与职能演变的规律,为农业税取消后农村基层组织更有效地开展新农村建设工作,把国家的惠农政策落到实处,提供理论支持和制度保障。     

对农村村级集体经济组织审计模式的探讨

文章主要对我国村级集体经济组织的发展历史进行简单的回顾和评价,对现行集体经济审计模式进行深入研究,指出了现行模式在法律化,规范化等方面存在的问题,并对新模式的研究和创新提出了可行性建议。     

Rurality and Social Inclusion: A Case of Preschool Education

This paper begins by reviewing several of the ways in which social inclusion has been conceptualized in the literature. The paper then explores these approaches in the context of the provision of preschool education in rural Scotland. Preschool education is viewed by government as a powerful weapon in the fight against social exclusion, but higher per capita costs in rural areas as well as the availability and cost of transport are major problems, raising questions in turn about inclusive models of provision. Moreover, many parents are sceptical about their ability to access preschool education for their children while also continuing their own engagement in the labour market (a central pillar of social inclusion policy). Issues of choice, quality and governance arise and these are discussed in depth. The paper concludes with some reflections on the concept of social inclusion in the light of this case study.     

农村社会的崩解? 当代台湾农村新发展的启示

文章透过台湾目前农村(包括原住民及汉人)的新发展,包括强调文化与地方产业的达娜伊谷生态公园、布农部落屋等个案,以及强调新文化形成的阿美族两地社会、新头港村的两地社会、陈有兰溪流域的区域体系、会灵山运动、东埔社的文化再创造等个案,来检讨“台湾农村是否还是个农村社会的问题,还是已是个新文化的问题?”“新资本主义经济的性质为何?”“新文化只是新资本主义经济的过渡,还是资本主义经济之外的另一种可能?”等问题。     

论农村教育与新型农民的培育

农村教育是培育新型农民最基本的阵地。目前,我国农村教育有严重的"离农"倾向,这有悖于新型农民培育和社会主义新农村建设的大局。因此,要从社会主义现代化建设的全局着眼,从适应社会主义新农村建设、培育新型农民的需要出发对农村教育进行创新发展。     

丘陵经济发展的主要因素分析

丘陵地区在我国地域经济中占有重要的一席之地,本文以三台县为例,通过对影响丘区农村经济发展的几个主要因素——耕地、劳力、物质投入等的分析,得出了如下结论:从耕地经营转向非耕地的开发利用;实行劳力的合理配置与转移;增加物资投入。总之,丘陵地区的农业发展在于走生态农业之路。     

2003 年中国农村若干重大问题的回顾

文章对2003年的农村状况进行了系统的回顾,内容涉及农民收入、农村政策及其影响、农村社会发展与社会保障、农民失地、农民工、城乡壁垒、农产品市场与价格等8个方面,并对2004年的农村情况进行了展望。作者认为2003年的农村情况表现出稳定发展的态势。