RURALITY IN ENGLAND AND WALES 1991 - A REPLICATION AND EXTENSION OF THE 1981 RURALITY INDEX

The central purpose of this paper is to enquire into how rural societi es, groups and individuals across Europe experience social change and social exclusion. Social exclusion is a multi-dimensional, dynamic con cept which refers to a breakdown or malfunctioning of the major societ al systems that should guarantee the social integration of the individ ual or household. These include the democratic and legal system, which promotes civic integration; the labour market, which promotes economi c integration; the welfare state system, promoting social integration; and the family and community system, which promotes interpersonal int egration. Recent work in England and Scotland provides evidence of the processes and system failures lying behind social exclusion in a rura l context and suggests that there may be substantially different pathw ays to social exclusion and insertion in a rural context. Research iss ues arise of how these processes and pathways vary between areas, and how they connect to the broader forces operating at macro and meso lev els, and to local action. Finally, a research agenda is proposed.