Konrad CZAPIEWSKI, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
Krzysztof JANC, University of Wroclaw, Poland
Contemporary academic discourse is related to the social and cultural turn in geography. Cloke (1997) points out that one of the most important research problems of contemporary rural studies concerns the forms of consumption of rural space by different groups coming to rural areas - either temporarily or looking for places for alternative lifestyles in the countryside. Thus, nowadays one of the most important processes requiring explanation is the study of the phenomenon of popularity of the countryside as a component of cultural identity and the resulting rural idyll associated with the perception of the countryside as an idyllic life and landscape (Woods 2005, 2011; Halfacree 2009).
Interactions between residents moving to the countryside and the local community are very important and interesting subject of analysis. In statistical terms, both groups differ in terms of the level of formal competences, worldview, level of wealth, level of literacy, entrepreneurial attitude or use of mid and higher level services (Atlas… 2016). However, the common feature of migrations is the contact between two different social groups and the reconfiguration of social space. Newcomers, usually having different life experiences, role models and competences, may constitute new and different sources of knowledge from those existing in the countryside. And a local community with its own competencies, together with an excellent knowledge of local conditions, customs and specifics, can also be an important source of knowledge for people inflowing to the countryside. Addressing this issue has assumed great importance especially now that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant increase in migration to rural areas.
The paper will present the theoretical-methodological framework and first results of the RUURKE project "Rural-urban knowledge exchange - models of interdependencies". This research was funded by National Science Centre, Poland. Grant number UMO-2021/41/B/HS4/02055.
Mots clés : knowledge transfer|countryside|newcommers |local community|Poland
A103717KC