Planetary rural geographies

Summary

This paper challenges the 'planetary urbanisation' narrative by proposing 'planetary rural geographies' as a theoretical framework that recognises rural places as critical sites of more-than-human interaction essential to understanding and addressing planetary crises. The authors argue that existing critiques of planetary urbanisation remain insufficient and call for a perspective that examines human–environment configurations at the rural end of urban–rural relations. The argument is illustrated through three framings: rural as spaces of crisis, conflict, and hope, drawn from global rural literature.

Regional applicability

As a conceptual and theoretical contribution, the framework has broad applicability across geographies including the United Kingdom. The planetary perspective is deliberately global, though the authors draw on diverse case examples from global rural literature that may include but are not limited to UK contexts. The framework could inform UK rural policy and governance approaches to environmental and social challenges.

Key measures

Not applicable; this is a conceptual and theoretical paper rather than an empirical study

Outcomes reported

The paper proposes a conceptual framework of 'planetary rural geographies' that centres rural places as sites of more-than-human interaction critical to planetary crises. It examines rural geographies through three lenses: as spaces of crisis, conflict, and hope.

Supporting research

Exact institutional published PDF develops planetary rural geography through farmland, fertilisers/phosphate extraction, soil, livestock methane and crop/food-security examples.

Limits: Conceptual rural-geography framework; no farm intervention effect established. Online publication is2023; assigned issue2025 is separate and must not be treated as new empirical evidence.

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