Some Reflections on Rural Studies in Latin America

This essay analyses some of the principal research themes of rural studies on Latin America during the last two to three decades. The transformations in the rural economy and society engendered by the process of neoliberal globalization and the sociopolitical protests of peasants, indigenous peoples and women against discrimination and neoliberal policies infuse rural studies. The analytical perspective of the “new rurality” is seen by many researchers as the best approach for capturing these changes and designing pro-peasant public policies. Other themes examined here are peasant differentiation, the gap between peasant and capitalist farming, the feminization and flexibilization of rural labour, urban-rural relations, peasant and indigenous movements, agrarian reform and rural poverty.

• Main Author: Kay, Cristóbal (author)
• Format: article
• Language: spa
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: peasantry; indigenous people; new rurality; agrarian change; peasant movements; rural sociology; neoliberalism; Latin America; campesinado; indígenas; nueva ruralidad; cambio agrario; movimientos campesinos; sociología rural; neoliberalismo; América Latina
• Online Access: https://iconos.flacsoandes.edu.ec/index.php/iconos/article/view/230