Richard Yarwood

A Lleyn Sweep for Local Sheep? Breed Societies and the Geographies of Welsh Livestock

In this paper we use Bourdieus concept of habitus to examine human–animal relationships within capitalist agricultural systems. In the first part of the paper we examine how Bourdieus ideas have been used by academics to provide insights into the ways that livestock affect and are affected by farming practice. In the second part we build on these conceptual, empirical, and policy insights by examining some of the national and international social networks that contribute to human–animal relationships in capitalistic farming. We focus on a case study of Welsh livestock and, in particular, the historic and contemporary roles that breed societies play in the imagination of farm animals and the creation of capitals in agriculture.

Involving young people as researchers: uncovering multiple power relations among youths

In this paper, we address the issue of giving young people a voice by involving them as interviewers in the research process. While highlighting the beneficial outcomes and the empowering potential of this method, we critically discuss the assumption that peer-led interviews create less hierarchical power relations as no adult is involved. We thus caution against seeing this method as the ultimate solution to young peoples marginalisation. Considering that participation is a form of power, we argue that it is essential to acknowledge and work with the power relations that characterise young peoples everyday lives and that thus also affect the creation of a participatory arena with them. Power relations among young people, however, have been mainly neglected in previous research. The paper draws on a participatory research project conduced with young people (14–16 years old) in rural east-Germany that focuses on the complexity of young peoples daily life experiences and perceptions of their future prospects.

Parish councils, partnership and governance: the development of ‘exceptions’ housing in the Malvern Hills District, England

Abstract Partnerships between public, private and voluntary sectors have been feted as an effective strategy to broaden engagement with policy delivery. However, their legitimacy has been questioned as some of the power relations within and between partnerships raise doubts over their inclusiveness and effectiveness. In light of these concerns, this paper examines ‘partnerships projects’ established to build affordable housing for local people in rural Worcestershire. Particular emphasis is given to the role and power of parish councils within these partnerships. It is argued that far from leading to greater participation, such partnerships can give voice and power to those who seek to exclude particular groups from rural spaces.

Voluntary action in rural areas: the case of neighbourhood watch

Abstract This paper presents the results of an empirical investigation into active Neighbourhood Watch (NW) Schemes in Hereford and Worcester: an area which has experienced a rise in both crime rate and the number of active NW Schemes in the last ten years. The example of NW is used to examine the effectiveness of voluntary action to tackle social problems in rural areas and to consider the changing nature of social relations found there. More specifically, the study of these schemes allows an assessment to be made of the impact and nature of crime in rural areas and measures the effectiveness of NW in countering it. The paper reveals that NW does have an important role to play in reducing fear of crime and improving police relations. It confirms that NW operates with considerable social bias which is a recognised problem associated with voluntary action. The final discussion highlights the need for more systematic studies of the problem of rural crime.

Crime and Policing in the British Countryside: Some Agendas for Contemporary Geographical Research

The study of crime has emerged as a rich and diverse area of human geography. However, the majority of research has been conducted in an urban environment and rural places have been neglected by comparison. Emphasizing the British countryside, this paper draws upon current thinking in rural geography to suggest a research agenda to fill this gap. Initial attention is given to advances in environmental criminology and how these may be applied to rural areas. Following a critique of this approach, emphasis is given to the fear of crime in rural areas and how this is influenced by constructions of rurality and criminality. Questions are raised about the nature of criminal threat in the countryside, the extend to which it is culturally constructed and whether it is leading to the exclusion of particular groups from rural space. In the final sections of the paper, the changing geographies of rural policing are reviewed in light of these issues. Attention is given to recent policing initiatives in the countryside and the implications these have for the governance of rural areas.

The politicization of livestock: rare breeds and countryside conservation.

Despite a recent emphasis on conflicts in rural areas, differences between members of the farming community over issues such as conservation remain to be fully explored. Focusing upon rare breeds of domestic farm animals, this paper investigates the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (rbst)and discusses its importance in the politicization of livestock.Actor network theory is used to provide a framework to analyse the development of rbst .Two phases of operation are evident, representing a shift from emergency measures towards a proactive strategy for livestock breed conservation. In both periods, there are ‘moments’ of problematization, interessement, enrolement and mobilization which establish the rbst as a powerful actor at the centre of a rare breeds network. Such has been the influence of the Trust that remarkably little conflict over the conservation of rare breeds has arisen. Rbst appeals to both farmers and conservationists,but success through increasing animal numbers and a lack of political effectiveness are found to be forces undermining its position of power in the network. Further questions are raised about the manipulation of animals to support political objectives.

Growing up, going out and growing out of the countryside: childhood experiences in Rural England

This article contributes to knowledge of childrens geographies by considering how the micro-geographies of children change as they grow up in a rural locality. Drawing upon evidence from a Hampshire village, it explores how children of different ages are imagined, positioned and regulated in different public spaces, inside and outside the village, through repetitive acts and regulatory regimes. Attention is given to the ways in which these practices can cause conflict with other children and adults, exacerbating a sense of restriction felt by young people growing up in the countryside.

Geography, Citizenship and Volunteering: Some Uses of the Higher Education Active Community Fund in Geography

Voluntary work with local communities has been advocated as beneficial for geography students, higher education institutions and the public. In England, the Higher Education Active Community Fund (HEACF) has recently been established by the Government to encourage staff and students in higher education to undertake voluntary work in local communities. This paper reports on the use of HEACF funding to develop voluntary work projects for geography students at the University of Plymouth. It examines the student experience of voluntary working and concludes that it helps students to develop as both geographers and active citizens in their local communities.

Livestock and landscape

Abstract This short discussion considers the role that livestock play in the creation and dilution of landscape coherences. Using the example of the cattle breeds found in the British Isles, it argues that variations in breed types are an important but neglected part of the landscape. Selected examples are discussed and it is contended that cattle represent significant cultural aspects of the landscape. It is also acknowledged that variations in regional cattle types reflect the impact of past and present agricultural practice on the landscape. Consequently, the paper suggests that types of breeds should also be taken into account when considering policy measures to conserve the appearance of local landscapes. The paper concludes by calling for a more systematic study of local livestock.

Territorial Tactics: The Socio-spatial Significance of Private Policing Strategies in Cape Town

This paper analyses the policing strategies of private security companies operating in urban space. An existing literature has considered the variety of ways that territory becomes of fundamental importance in the work of public police forces. However, this paper examines territory in the context of private security companies. Drawing on empirical research in Cape Town, it examines how demarcated territories become key subjects in private policing. Private security companies are responsible for a relatively small section of the city, while in contrast the public police ultimately have to see city space as a whole. Hence, private policing strategy becomes one of displacement, especially of so-called undesirables yielding a patchworked public space associated with private enclaves of consumption. The conclusions signal the historical resonances and comparative implications of these political–legal–security dynamics.