Women Assess Rurality — A Tailored Rural Idyll

Abstract

In literature on rural society in Spain there is a common understanding that the activities of women are essential to the social and economic sustainability of rural areas (Camarero et al. 1991, Sabaté 1992, Garcia Ramon et al., 1994, Garcia Ramon and Baylina 2000, Little 2001, Camarero 2009, Sampedro 2009, MARM 2011). Nevertheless, for several decades a steady process of selective rural depopulation in relation to gender and age has taken place in Spain, primarily based on the exodus of young women (Fademur 2009), just as has happened in other parts of Europe (Buller and Hoggart 2004, Goverde et al. 2004). At the end of the 20th century this trend slowly changed in Spain and a slight demographic recovery can be observed after decades of depopulation, outmigration and unequal demographic ageing among regions. Immigration, new economic initiatives and the development of infrastructure and services can explain a certain degree of vitality in areas which are more densely populated and have better social, technical and communication infrastructure (Hoggart and Paniagua 2002, Garcia and Sánchez 2005, Morén and Solana 2006, Guirado 2010, Bayona and Gil 2013). In this context, it is noticeable that some educated and professional women are deciding to stay or even to move to the countryside where they want to pursue their own life projects (Carbó et al. 2013).