The Future Dreams of Ireland’s Youth: Possibilities for Rural Regeneration and Generational Renewal

Aisling Murtagh (), Maura Farrell (), Tuomas Kuhmonen, Louise Weir and Marie Mahon
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Aisling Murtagh: Rural Studies Centre, Discipline of Geography, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
Maura Farrell: Rural Studies Centre, Discipline of Geography, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
Tuomas Kuhmonen: Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
Louise Weir: Rural Studies Centre, Discipline of Geography, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
Marie Mahon: Rural Studies Centre, Discipline of Geography, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: The renewal of younger generations in farming and rural areas is a key European policy concern and rural sustainability issue. European literature discusses what drives young people from rural areas while identifying diverse and often interlinked factors as responsible. This study uses a future foresight approach to understand what would facilitate young people to remain in or return to rural areas. Targeting youth aged 18 to 30 and examining their personal dream futures in 2035, this paper presents the ideal lifestyle and livelihoods young people envision for themselves in rural Ireland. However, future approaches to alleviate rural decline, support regeneration, and the wider issue of generational renewal must consider the wider impact on rural sustainability. Generational renewal is just one challenging part of rural decline, including wider social, environmental, economic, and cultural issues. Driven by this wider concern, this paper also explores the implications of the youth’s future dreams for rural regeneration and generational renewal from a broad rural resilience perspective. The results identify a range of issues. However, rural jobs emerge as a key issue, and the paper outlines how policy attention is particularly needed here for improved resilient rural regeneration and generational renewal.

Keywords: generational renewal; rural regeneration; rural youth; rural resilience; future foresight (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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