The Journal of Rural Studies publishes cutting-edge research that advances understanding and analysis of contemporary rural societies, economies, cultures and lifestyles; the definition and representation of rurality; the formulation, implementation and contestation of rural policy; and human interactions with the rural environment. The journal is an interdisciplinary publication and welcomes articles from diverse theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches, which engage with and contribute to the rural social science literature, as broadly defined by the disciplines of rural geography, rural sociology, agricultural and rural economics, planning and cognate subjects. The coverage of the journal is global in scope and solicits articles based on empirical research in any part of the world that is of relevance and interest to international readers. The primary audience of the journal are social science researchers, teachers and students interested in contemporary rural issues, processes and experiences.