ABSTRACT
A sustainable rural system is interpreted here with reference to ‘sustainable development’ as defined in the Bruntland Report (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987); namely, development in such a way that productivity may be maintained over the longer term for future generations, whilst preserving essential natural systems and protecting human heritage and biodiversity. The European Commission (EC) and individual governments have now incorporated these principles of sustainability into policy, including rural development policy (Government of Ireland, 1997; CEC, 2001; EUROPA, 2003). Increasingly official rural development documents adopt a holistic approach to the definition of sustainability that involves environmental, economic, social, and cultural dimensions (usually in that order) but such policy documents are frequently lacking in the most effective methods of attaining their aims and may emphasise the technological and institutional to the neglect of the social and cultural (Jenkins, 2000). By contrast, Ray (1998a) highlights the opportunities offered to use cultural resources for economic purposes as a form of ‘culture economy’, drawing on the changing nature of post-industrial consumer capitalism, the trajectory of rural development policy in the European Union (EU) and the growth of regionalism. A culture economy approach may be described as capitalising on the distinctive features of local areas and cultural practices by commodifying them for commercial purposes rather than seeking to pursue scale economies in production. International development agencies suggest that such commodification or valorisation of often previously non-transacted commodities by local people should become an empowering experience, thereby increasing social capital (OECD, 1995; CEC, 1996a, 1996b). The alternative strategy of attracting external investment in search of profits may contribute to exploitative economic relationships and leakage from the local economy. This chapter focuses on the potential for pursuing a culture economy approach to the promotion of rural tourism as part of a broader rural development strategy. Kneafsey's (2001) research in the West of Ireland and Brittany provides evidence of such an approach in action. Bossevain (1996) and Butler et al. (1998) further illustrate that the scope for adding commercial value to cultural resources has been enhanced during the last decade by a growing demand for eco-tourism experiences and contact with traditional cultures.
