ABSTRACT
This introduction to Part II of this book presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of the book. Part II focuses on the specific relation between gender and power in rural development. Gender is one of the primary elements of social structure, and of power relations in particular. Part II has three purposes. First, it contributes to our understanding of how changing socio-economic and political contexts affect the position of men and women. The second purpose is to show how understanding the complexity and the ambiguity of gendered processes in rural areas enables us to contribute to the development of effective gender-sensitive policies concerning rural innovation. Finally, the country-based reports aim to reflect the theoretical development and growth of rural gender studies in the decades. Part II analyzes the changing academic discourse of rural gender relations in four European and one Southern Mediterranean country: the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Tunisia.
