Conflicts as catalysts for change in rural areas

Guštin, Špela (author), Potočnik Slavič, Irma (author)

As the number of functions performed by rural areas increase, so too do the number of different users of rural areas. Where several functions overlap (such as agricultural, environmental protection, conservation, residential, recreational), we see the emergence of more or less attractive intersections (areas, points, lines). At the most attractive of these the interests of several actors and their activities overlap. However, due to different power relations between actors, such interactions are not equitable, which can lead to conflicts of interest. Conflicts are not necessarily negative; indeed, they can serve as catalysts for change. In the article we examine three conflicts in a rural area (Municipality of Izola, SW Slovenia). Through newspaper content analysis, we obtained data on conflicts in rural parts of the Municipality of Izola between 2008 and 2014. We supplemented the data with 13 in-depth interviews with relevant actors. The results showed that all three conflicts have positive characteristics; however, only one of them was a catalyst for change that accelerated the resolution of a long-standing problem in a new, more effective way.

• Language: English
• Keywords: agricultural geography, rural areas, development of rural areas, Slovenia
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication date: 01.01.2020
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: Str. 211-222
• Numbering: Vol. 78
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-165052
• UDC: 91:711.3(497.4)
• ISSN on article: 0743-0167
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.06.024
• COBISS.SI-ID: 20653571
• Publication date in RUL: 21.11.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of Rural Studies
• Shortened title: J. rural stud.
• Publisher: Pergamon
• ISSN: 0743-0167
• COBISS.SI-ID: 6566151

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: agrarna geografija, podeželje, razvoj podeželja, Slovenija