Next Rural Economies: Constructing Rural Place in Global Economies

Rural policy in industrialized countries is currently undergoing significant change. 'Place-based economies', where the unique attributes and assets of individual places determine their attractiveness for particular types of activities and investments, are increasingly important for rural development. The Next Rural Economies debates the future of rural development and highlights successes and failures to inform research, policy and community action. Case studies present discussions of the current state of rural community and economic restructuring and provide research and policy directions for constructing resilient and sustainable rural economies.

Greg Halseth is a Professor in the Geography Program at the University of Northern British Columbia, where he is also the Canada Research Chair in Rural and Small Town Studies, and the Acting Director of UNBCs Community Development Institute. His research examines rural and small town community development, and the social geography of community change, all with a focus upon the northern B.C.s resource-based towns. He served as a member of various Federal, Provincial, and community advisory committees as well as a research advisor to a number of non-profit associations interested in rural Canada. He served on the governing council of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. His most recent books include Building Community in an Instant Town which talks about Mackenzie and Tumbler Ridge, and Building for Success which talks about rural and small town community development and community economic development.

Sean Markey is an Assistant Professor with the Centre for Sustainable Community Development at Simon Fraser University. His research examines issues of local and regional development and sustainability. He has published widely and is the principle author of Second Growth: Community Economic Development in Rural British Columbia (UBC Press, 2005). In addition to his academic experience, Sean continues to work with municipalities, non-profit organizations, Aboriginal communities and the business community to promote and develop sustainable forms of local economic development.

David Bruce is the Director of the Rural and Small Town Programme, Mount Allison University, where he is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Geography and Environment. His research explores rural community development issues, primarily in Atlantic Canada, with a particular focus on community economic development, housing, population mobility, poverty, broadband, and economic transition. In 2009 he was named to the New Brunswick governments Premiers Roundtable of Self-Sufficiency. He has served on a number of national and regional bodies as a board member, executive member, and policy advisor.