David L. Brown, Emeritus International Professor of Development Sociology, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, New York, USA and Mark Shucksmith, Emeritus Professor of Planning, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University, UK

• ContentsIntroduction: Rethinking Rural Studies2 Beyond the urban hierarchy: rethinking power anddominance in a dynamic settlement system3 Rethinking rural economy and family livelihoods4 Wellbeing, governance and rural development: towards anagenda for research and policy5 Poverty, social inequality and rural studies6 Spatial inequality, spatial justice and a ‘right to the countryside’7 Rural population matters, but demography is not destiny8 Science, technology and the food and fibre system:legacies and transformations9 Rethinking natural resources, energy and rural environments10 Conclusion: a hopeful rural studiesBibliography

‘Rethinking Rural Studies is a seminal contribution. Written by two scholars foundational to the development of this field, the book spans social science disciplines and nations across the global north. Sociologists have been key players in rural studies. The book builds on sociological concepts and theories and has important implications for our discipline. Overall, Rethinking Rural Studies offers a thoughtful and engaging account of this field. It explains why activist scholarship does not have to be incompatible with other ways of doing sociology, the authors providing concrete examples of how research, theory, and practice can converge to make a progressive difference.’