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Lecturer(s)
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Kovařík Filip, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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The course covers three key thematic areas, in which students are gradually introduced to the nature and definition of rural areas, the processes and actors involved in their development, and, finally, the institutional framework that shapes the countryside within a European context. 1. Characteristics, functions, features and definition of the countryside (Weeks 1-4) The concept of the countryside and its various interpretations; features and functions of rural areas; approaches to defining the countryside; the countryside in the context of contemporary geography; transformations of rural areas in the 20th and 21st centuries; the relationship between the countryside and the city; the rural-urban continuum. 2. Rural development and development stakeholders (Weeks 5-9) Key concepts of rural development: hard, soft and green factors in development; internal and external prerequisites for development; approaches to supporting rural development; rural development stakeholders and their roles; hierarchical organisation of stakeholders - local, regional and national levels; public administration, the voluntary sector and informal interest groups; interrelationships and interests of stakeholders. 3. The Common Agricultural Policy, organic farming and alternative food networks (Weeks 10-13) History and objectives of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy; CAP funding - the first and second pillars; direct payments and market measures; rural development within the CAP; CAP reforms and their impacts; organic farming - principles, certification and significance for sustainable development; alternative food networks; community-supported agriculture; the relationship between agriculture and the environment.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Group work
- Attendace
- 39 hours per semester
- Preparation for the Course Credit
- 13 hours per semester
- Homework for Teaching
- 28 hours per semester
- Preparation for the Exam
- 70 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The course aims to introduce students to rural space as a specific subject of geographical study. Students will develop an understanding of the concept of the countryside, its principal characteristics, functions, and the various approaches to its delimitation, and will place the transformations of rural space throughout the 20th and 21st centuries within a broader social and economic context. The core of the module focuses on understanding rural development processes - students will explore key concepts and approaches to rural development, identify the principal actors involved, and describe their roles, interests, and interrelationships. The concluding part of the module is devoted to the institutional framework of rural space: students will grasp the principles and functioning of the EU Common Agricultural Policy, evaluate its impacts on rural areas, and become acquainted with organic farming and its significance for sustainable development.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: - explain the concept of the countryside and describe its main characteristics, functions and various approaches to defining it, - place the transformations of rural areas throughout the 20th and 21st centuries within a broader social and economic context, - clarify the key concepts of rural development and compare different approaches to supporting it, - identify the main actors in rural development and describe their roles, interrelationships and interests, - explain the principles and functioning of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and assess its impact on rural areas, - characterise organic farming and assess its significance for sustainable rural development, - apply the knowledge acquired to the analysis of a specific rural area or development issue.
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Prerequisites
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A basic knowledge of geography at the third-year undergraduate level. No prior knowledge of rural geography is required.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Mark, Written exam, Student performance
Regular attendance at seminars, completion of assignments by the specified deadlines, and successful completion of the written examination. a) Ongoing seminar assignments: students must submit all assigned tasks via MOODLE by the specified deadlines. Assessment: pass/fail with written feedback. b) Active participation in seminar work. c) Written examination: the final examination assesses knowledge of key terms and concepts in the fields of rural geography, the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and organic farming. The minimum pass mark is 60 per cent. Admission to the examination is conditional upon fulfilment of the credit requirements.
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Recommended literature
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Spišiak, P. (2005). Základy geografie poľnohospodárstva a lesného hospodárstva.. Bratislava.
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Woods, M. (2005). Rural Geography. Londýn.
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