Performing rurality and practising rural geography

Abstract

Recent research in rural geography has shown increasing interest in the ways in which rurality is performed and enacted by diverse actors. Rural geographers have also demonstrated increasing awareness of their own ‘performances’ as researchers, including their enactment of multiple roles in engaging with research subjects, funders and users. This progress report for rural geography discusses recent contributions on these two related themes, briefly summarizing research on the performance and enactment of rurality and rural identities before proceeding to review publications that have reflected on methodological developments, positionality in rural research and political and policy engagement in rural geography.