Panel 8: Youth and Rural Transformation

Panel 8: Youth and Rural Transformation

Convenor: Roy Huijsmans, International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague, The Netherlands; r.b.huijsmans@gmail.com

Panel description

Various studies have demonstrated that processes of agrarian transformation often unfold along distinct generational lines in which it tend to be the young who, through their mobility and involvement in non-farm work, contribute in major ways to the transformation of rural spaces (e.g. Rigg and Salamanca, 2011; Ye Jingzhong, 2011; Barney, 2012). Nonetheless, the role of youth in agrarian transformation is often dealt with descriptively, and studies adopting a specific youth or generational perspective remain rare (some notable exceptions include Koning, 1997; Mills, 1999; Robson et al., 2007). This analytical disconnect is surprising because mainstream accounts on ‘agrarian change’ and ‘youth’ appear to have much in common as they both evoke strong transition narratives as for example evident from the 2007 and 2008 World Development Reports on ‘youth’ and ‘agriculture’ respectively. Whilst such transition narratives have been subject to much critique in youth studies and agrarian studies (e.g. Wyn and White, 1997; Li, 2009); also these critique rarely transcend the epistemological divide (e.g. Jeffrey, 2010; White, 2011) and if doing so are often limited to socio-economic dimensions with little attention for socio-cultural spheres. Moreover, despite intellectual critiques of transition narratives their discursive formation appears strong, not in the least since such narratives often correspond closely with popular desires of the young (and their parents) even if these remain out of reach for many (Mills, 1997; Li, 2007).

This panel invites submissions that seek to bridge the epistemological space between studies of rural transformation and youth studies with a focus on Southeast Asia. This may take the form of an empirical, conceptual or theoretical contribution.

Possible topics would include, but are not limited to:• Theorising the youth question in rural transformation• Rural transformation through the lens of generation• Rethinking youth transitions in the context of rural transformation• Rural youth cultures• Rural masculinities and feminities• The future of rural youth and farming• Rural youth as migrants and stayers• Rethinking the household through rural youth• The contradictions of rural education• Governmentality and rural youth 

Instructions for interested participants: abstracts of max 300 words should be submitted by 11 June 2012 to r.b.huijsmans@gmail.com