Using theory and method, this book seeks to critique and illuminate rural matters. Rural issues are tenacious and contested, as we continue to value the green and pleasant land, but in a rose-tinted way. The opening chapter provides a contextualising discussion of the new ways rurality has been conceptualised. Critical debates by leading scholars in recent years have expressed concern about the direction of travel inside rural areas and also with associated academic disciplines. These are ...

In this ethnographic study of the rural idyll, Broadlands explores rurality and the pace of rural life. In sharp contrast to the urban analytical emphasis upon speed, it gives careful thought to stasis, as rural places offer everyday opportunities for very different social situations and behavioural interactions. Based on new and extensive RCUK-funded primary research, Sam Hillyard generates an original, rigorous and thoughtful understanding of everyday rural life in the 21st century....

From fox-hunting to farming, the vigor with which rural activities and living are defended overturns received notions of a sleepy and complacent countryside. Alongside these developments, the rise of the organic food movement has helped to revitalize an already politicized rural population. Over the years 'rural life' has been defined, redefined and eventually fallen out of fashion as a sociological concept - in contrast to urban studies, which has flourished. This much-needed reappraisal ...

"This is not yet another step-by-step guide to research methods. Rather, Pole and Hillyard draw the reader into fieldwork as a form of living and lived research. They take key threads of research practices and processes and weave them into a holistic approach to fieldwork. Doing Fieldwork is a must read for new researchers planning a journey into the immersion of ′being there′ that is field work."- Professor Garry Marvin, University of Roehampton

Many researchers in recent years have begun to reflect on their gender identity and how this impacts on the research process and discuss how this helps build rapport with participants and creates successful or unsuccessful pieces of qualitative research. However, how does this intersect with other forms of identity, such as class, ethnicity, disability, age, sexuality? In this volume contributors explore these issues by reflecting on their own studies and research careers and address how i...

This volume seeks to address the emerging relationships between qualitative research and digital data. At the present time, ubiquitous digital data is altering the foci of research, the contexts in which research takes place, and the methods and tools available for qualitative research. Alongside new challenges and opportunities, there are many ways in which established qualitative methods are being used to situate and interpret digital phenomena. This book examines and engages with the am...

In the second edition of New Learning: Elements of a Science of Education, renowned authors Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope explore the contemporary debates and challenges in education. In this time of dramatic social change, education represents significant possibilities and opportunities. Written in accessible and lively style, this book examines learners and their learning environments and considers how schools can prepare their students for the future. Featuring new classroom examples, ca...

This new edition of Karen O’Reilly’s popular Ethnographic Methods provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the technical, practical and philosophical issues that arise when employing traditional and innovative research methods in relation to human agents.Using a wide range of case studies and source material to illustrate the dilemmas and resolutions that an ethnographic researcher may encounter, this textbook guides the reader from the initial design and pl...

As adults, we are all continually involved in learning, with increasing numbers of us engaged in more formalized forms of learning; that is, in education or training. All those involved in the broad field of adult education and training will come into contact with many specialist ideas or concepts. It is often assumed of students that they already have a general understanding of these concepts, their meanings, applicability and inter-relationships. This is not always the case. This book ex...

This text successfully bridges the gap between theory and methods in social research, bringing understanding of the dynamics of social relations.

Schooling, Society and Curriculum offers a much needed reassessment and realignment of curriculum studies in the UK and international contexts. Comprising a collection of eleven original chapters by prominent, nationally and internationally known experts in the field of curriculum studies, the book leads and fosters critical, generic debates about formal education and its relationships to wider society.Focusing on key debates that have been present for as long as formal st...

Engaging the Disengaged addresses strategies and models of immersive teaching and learning that lead to successful schooling outcomes. The new Australian Curriculum emphasises the importance of improved educational participation. This book will equip pre-service teachers with the tools and strategies they need to successfully implement these priorities. Drawing together a diverse range of experts, this book offers innovative ways of thinking about student engagement. Addressing education a...