Sociology of Rural and Remote Communities
Since 2009, the number of people living in urban areas has outnumbered those living in the rural areas. The situation differs considerably between high and low income countries, with about 80% of the population residing in urban areas in the former compared to 30% in the latter. Yet the tendency is crystal clear – the world is urbanizing rapidly.
Urbanization is generally perceived as a sign of modernization and, in turn, development and economic growth. At the same time there is concern about its effect on rural areas and their residents and anxiety that urbanization concurs with continuous rural decline, impoverishment and social exclusion of rural residents, and rural abandonment. More insight into the interrelations between rural and urban places is a preconditions for realizing just and sustainable futures.
Bringing together scientific literature with fiction, and using lectures, seminars and interactive teaching methods, students are introduced to sociological perspectives on rural and remote communities with an emphasis on rural-urban relations. In this course we will take students on a field trip to a small fishing community in the Westfjords.
Prerequisites: Completed undergraduate studies, regardless of whether BA, BSc, BEd, or other equivalent study. It is important for applicants to have a good knowledge of English, as all teaching takes place in English.
Course details
| Academic level(s) | Master |
|---|---|
| Country | Iceland |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Institution | University Centre of the Westfjords |
| Begin date | 20.09.2021 |
| End date | 01.10.2021 |
| Registration deadline | 09.08.2021 |
| ECTS credits | 4.0 |
| Field school | No |
| Fields of study | Sociology and cultural studies |
| Teaching place | Ísafjörður, Iceland |
| Tags | sociologycommunitiesrural development |