Globalization and Rural Transition in Germany and the UK

This book contains ten studies of contemporary rural development in Germany and the UK. Based on papers presented at the Third Anglo-German Meeting of Rural Geographers, the book focuses on two key "transitions" occurring in the countryside. The first reflects the impact of global forces on agriculture, with family farming struggling to survive in the face of rising costs and the power wielded by large supermarket chains. The second examines responses to the multi-faceted changes within rural areas: depopulation and decline in rural communities, pressures to maintain the environmental quality of rural areas, the growth of tourism, the creation of new rural-based industries as well as local responses to the threats and opportunities associated with globalization. This book highlights both similarities and distinct differences between Germany and the UK as they both experience a range of rural and agricultural transitions. Strong emphasis is placed upon the way in which different outcomes are occurring based on the intricate interplay between global and local forces.