ABSTRACT
This chapter explores education as a factor for regional development in rural areas in northern part of Norway. It presents some strategies for providing education in rural areas along cost-effective lines, while maintaining a focus on education for communities and their citizens, so as to ensure fulfilled lives in healthy, sustainable communities. The chapter discusses the Norwegian district policy for education, and explains this in relation to rurality, modernity and gender. The development of different strategies and affirmative action’s in rural development are connected to different theoretical approaches to gender. The chapter also discusses competence-raising in connection with primary production. There is an important need for capacity-building, both in traditional production spheres and in potential new sectors. The main Northern Feminist University focuses are on democracy and social planning from a gender perspective. In the Western world, modernity is associated with the welfare state, materialism, calls for equality, searches for greater knowledge, plus demands for more information and democracy.
