Research methods in rural studies

Apostolos G. Papadopoulos

Chapter 41 in Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Research Methods in the Social Sciences, 2026, pp 294-301 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Rural studies are at the intersection of different disciplines, while the concept of the rural remains contested. When considering the relationship between the methods and the object of study, the methodology is an integral part of the delineation, definition, and perception of the rural. Community studies, a fundamental methodology for rural studies, were based on field research, observation, and in-depth interviews. From the early years to recent times, there has been a clear shift from methodological monism to methodological pluralism since the mid-1990s. The methodological changes must be seen against the background of the major theoretical advances of recent decades. First, the cultural turn, which was closely linked to post-structuralism, and later the spatial and mobilities turn initiated theoretical and methodological developments in rural studies. Methods are constantly adapting to capture the material, symbolic, and representational aspects of the rural. The conditions and nuances of digital technologies offer new opportunities and challenges for rural studies and the positionality and ethics of rural researchers. The future of rural studies depends not only on their engagement with rural futures and policy-making but also on the ability of rural researchers to develop new methodologies.

Keywords: Interdisciplinarity; Community Studies; Methodological Monism; Methodological Pluralism; Positionality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781803921297
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