Regeneration is a potentially powerful approach to dealing with rural decline leading to rural revitalisation and potentially transformation. This seminar aims to open renewed discussion and examination of what is rural regeneration and how the process works. For example, how important are catalysts to rural regeneration? Is the process more effectively understood as a spiral where one positive effect leads to an upward chain of renewal? This perspective draws on the conceptual guidelines underpinning the RURALIZATION Horizon 2020 project. The discussion will also be illustrated by exploring different perspectives on ‘new generations’ and their role in rural regeneration.

As depopulation and ageing are issues in many rural areas, the new generations perspective is an important lens to question the rural regeneration concept and how it plays out as a process. New generations can be understood as young people, but also more broadly newcomers to rural areas of any age. Examples will include the findings of foresight research with young people in Ireland and also a case study of remote working newcomers in the west of Ireland. The empirical research also emerges from the University of Galway Rural Studies Centre’s work on the RURALIZATION project.

The RURALIZATION project explores rural areas as a context for economic activities and within this is seeking to understand the new frontiers of regenerative rural development where rural areas possess opportunities for economic and social sustainability for new generations. Commencing in 2019 and finishing in 2023, RURALZATION brings together 18 organisations across 12 European countries. Find out more about RURALIZATION here: https://ruralization.eu/

Dr Aisling Murtagh is a Postdoctoral Researcher with the RURALIZATION project at the Rural Studies Centre, Discipline of Geography, University of Galway. Her current research examines the issues of rural regeneration and generational renewal. She has worked on a number of rural development related national and European research projects in areas including creative industries, short food supply chains and food cooperatives. She also worked with the National Rural Network as Research and Development Officer where her work particularly focused on the LEADER programme.