RS13110 - AN INTRODUCTION TO RURAL POLICY

Module Identifier	RS13110
Module Title	AN INTRODUCTION TO RURAL POLICY
Academic Year	2001/2002
Co-ordinator	Professor Peter Midmore
Semester	Semester 1
Course delivery	Lecture	22 Hours
	Seminars / Tutorials	4 Hours
Assessment	Essay	1500 words	30%
	Exam	1.5 Hours	70%
	Resit assessment	Students who fail the module overall will be required to resit examinations and/or re-present failed coursework

Brief description

This module will introduce the reasons for and the framework of government intervention in the countryside, in Britain and in Europe as a whole. Lectures will consider agricultural and rural policies, including protection, subsidisation, conservation and regional location incentrives for tourism and manufacturing industry. It will outline the working of fundamental economic relationships to identify the opportunities and problems these offer for the countryside, and the responses of policymakers.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

describe the framework of rural policy in the United Kingdom and Western Europe;
describe government policies relating to agriculture, conservation and the rural economy, at present and in the recent past;
assess the effectiveness of interventions by governments and their agencies in achieving their objective and targets.

Transferable skills

Skills which will be developed and assessed:

Independent project work
Writing in an academic context
Oral discussion and presentation
Self-management

Reading Lists

Books
Brassley P. (1997) Agricultural economics and the CAP: an introduction. Blackwell Science
Hill B E and Ingersent K A. (1982) An economic analysis of agriculture. 2nd. Heinemann Educational Books
Midmore P and Hughes G O. (1996) Rural Wales: an economic and social perspective. Welsh Institute of Rural Studies
Organisation fo Economic Co-operation and Development. (1992) Business and jobs in the rural world. OECD
Strak J. (1989) Rural pluriactivity in the UK. NEDC
Tracy M. (1989) Government and agriculture in western Europe 1880 - 1988. 3rd. Harvester Wheatsheaf
Tracy M. (1993) Food and agriculture in a market economy. Belgium: Agricultural Policy Studies