Gender and Rural Globalization: International Perspectives on Gender and Rural Development explores how rural gender relations are evolving in a globalized world. The book analyzes developments in specific places, focusing on the impact of increasing connectivity and mobility. It integrates global experiences by discussing themes such as mobility, agriculture, gender identities, and international development. Each theme is introduced with an overview of current state-of-the-art research and then delves into case studies from diverse regions including Sweden, Norway, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, UK, Poland, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Uzbekistan, India, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA. The first section examines gender differences in mobility patterns and their effects on rural identities. The second section looks at agricultural and rural policies and their implications for gender relations. The third section focuses on the construction of identities and changes in definitions of femininity and masculinity due to rural transformations. The fourth section investigates the role of international development policies in enhancing women’s well-being in less developed areas, including some unintended consequences. Concluding sections offer reflections on gender in rural research agendas and academia.

Key features include empirical work from a wide range of geographical areas, an examination of how gender identities are constructed in rural agriculture, and considerations of the effectiveness of development policies in improving women’s well-being.

This book will be of interest to researchers in rural development and gender issues in both the global North and South, as well as students studying rural sociology, social geography, development studies, and gender studies.