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A Critical Review of Rural Proofing in England
Rewhorn, Sonja
Rewhorn, Sonja
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2019-07-01
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Abstract
This thesis critically reviews the effectiveness of rural proofing through a
practitioner lens. It explores empirically the experiences and expectations of
rural proofing in England by rural policy practitioners. The theoretical
foundation for the research is provided by the rural-urban dichotomy and
associated discourses, to include the notion of the rural idyll. An interpretivist
methodological approach was adopted which included in-depth semi-structured
interviews with 24 participants. The participants discussed their understandings
of rural within the context of rural proofing and in turn how this influenced their
expectations and experiences of rural proofing. Practitioner experiences and
expectations considered the influence of rural proofing voices, leadership and
accountability in rural proofing and where rural proofing does or should occur.
From this, the analytical approach enabled the strengths and weaknesses of rural
proofing to be examined to inform the future rural proofing agenda.
It was found that rural proofing is a welcomed concept, but there are barriers and
challenges impacting on the effectiveness of rural proofing. Overall, it was
articulated that rural proofing, although a national policy process to consider the
rural context in policy making, is in fact, interpreted as the delivery of rural
services. Where the principle was providing equality of provision in comparison
to levels of service in urban contexts. There was an appreciation rural proofing
is process focussed but a strong sense that it should be more outcome driven,
with a local focus. Currently, rural proofing is compulsory for English domestic
policy, however, the championing of rural proofing and the leadership of rural
proofing across government could be more apparent and the process more
effective. It was suggested a greater local focus to rural proofing would assist
with mitigating the challenges in the current national English policy framework
which has to use a rural-urban settlement classification that does not embrace
the diversity of rural England. An alternative approach to describing rural within
policy making, could, alleviate some of the challenges in addressing the contested
priorities of rural proofing resulting from many rural voices. Through the rural
policy practitioner lens it is articulated rural proofing should not be abandoned,
however, moving forward, rural proofing requires revision if the principles of
rural proofing are to be realised in practice.
Citation
Rewhorn, S, A. (2019). A Critical Review of Rural Proofing in England (Doctoral dissertation). University of Chester, UK.
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University of Chester
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Thesis or dissertation
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en