J.D. van der Ploeg and professors from other European universities. This course introduces students to the complexities of rural development processes in Europe. Attention is given to new theories of rural development. A four-day excursion to a particular region constittues part of the programme. During this excursion there are meetings and encounters with farmers, farmers' organisations, government officials, etc.
Students have to write together a 'rural development plan' for the concerned region.
The course provides an introduction to the theoretical and practical basis of diversity in agricultural production. Students work with data sets in order to come to grips with the analysis of concrete data. Students also have to interview a number of farmers in order to obtain elements that are to be linked to the statistical analysis. J. Frouws a.o.