Comparing case studies from Finland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Scotland and Sweden, this book describes and analyses the role of networks and social capital in rural development across rural Europe. It provides an interdisciplinary perspective, bringing together a group of leading geographers, sociologists and anthropologists to address the tension between studying 'local' rural development and the 'globalized' nature of modern economies and societies.

Contents: Preface; Introduction, Arnar Ã?rnaason, Andrea Nightingale, Mark Shucksmith and Jo Vergunst; Networks for local development: aiming for visibility, products and success, Esko Lehto and Jukka Oksa; Social capital in rural areas: public goods and public services, Claudio Cecchi; Gendered social capital : exploring the relations between civil society and the labour market, Susanne Stenbacka and Karin Tillberg Mattsson; Identity-building in regional initiatives for rural development: comparing Ireland's lake district and Norway's mountain region, Torill Meistad Frances Hannon and Chris Curtin; The role of identity in contemporary rural development processes, Frances Hannon and Chris Curtin; Using environmental resources: networks in food and landscape, Jo Vergunst, Arnar Ã?rnason, Ronald Macintyre and Andrea Nightingale; Conclusions: comparing rural development, Jo Vergunst and Mark Shucksmith; References; Index.