12th World Congress of Rural Sociology Successfully Held
- Over 400 Participants from 54 Countries Discuss Various Ways of Promoting Rural Development -



The 12th World Congress of Rural Sociology was successfully held at KINTEX in the city of Goyang from July 6 to July 11. The Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) held the international event jointly with the Korea Rural Sociological Society under the theme of “Envisioning a Prosperous Rural Future in a Globalizing World.”

The world congress is held every four years, and the 12th congress marked the second time that Asia hosted the event. More than 400 sociologists and related personnel from 54 countries took part in the conference to discuss various ways of promoting rural development. 

Seeking Ways to Improve Rural Welfare

At the opening ceremony, Choi Jung-Sup, president of KREI, delivered a welcoming message, expressing his wish that the conference participants discuss ways of improving the agriculture and rural communities of the world as well as the quality of life of farmers. Chung Ki-Whan, president of Korea Rural Sociological Society, gave his account of current problems in rural areas and said that agriculture, farmers, and rural communities are faced with the crisis of discontinuity in a globalizing world. Chung hoped that the world congress can be remembered as an academic event that has contemplated a prosperous future for rural communities. After the opening address, Hong Doo-Sung, chairman of the Korea Sociological Association, delivered a congratulatory message.

The world congress dealt with various subjects, ranging from agro-food network to health issues concerning rural residents in developing countries. More than 470 papers were presented and discussed in 85 discussion areas under 34 topics. The main sub-sessions covered the following subjects: the eradication of poverty in rural areas, industrialization of the food system, racial and gender issues in rural development, and the role of non-governmental organizations in reinforcing the role of rural communities. 

Five Keynote Papers Presented

Five keynote papers were presented on three session days. Following the opening ceremony, Alessandro Bonanno, president of the International Sociology Association, delivered a special presentation on the restructuring of time and space in a globalizing world, addressing opportunities and challenges in rural areas. After that, Dr. Choi Yang-Bu, advisor to KREI, delivered a speech on the future of rural Korea in the midst of globalization, industrialization, and urbanization. He pointed out that the future of Korean agriculture depends on revitalizing the multiple functions of agriculture, rural amenities, and the organic agriculture that is based on the “health first” principle. Then he further added that the future of Korean agriculture depends on to what extent the Korean consumers are willing to pay for the development of organic agriculture.

On July 8, Professor Hiroyuki Torigoe of Waseda University delivered a presentation titled “Beautiful Nature and Environmental Protection.” In the presentation, Hiroyuki drew attention to the fact that most Asian countries, including Korea and Japan, are providing science-centered education on the natural environment. To complement this, he said, it is necessary to adopt a culture-oriented strategy, too, to protect the natural environment.

In a separate presentation made on the subject of changes in the women-discriminatory relationship in rural Africa, Professor Vishantie Sewpaul of Kwazulu Netal University of South Africa said that African women in rural areas are excluded from the decision-making process and do not receive various benefits. To redress the disparity between men and women, the professor said, substantial measures, rather than adopting a women’s charter, are needed.

On July 9, the foreign participants of the conference had an on-site tour to the countryside, visiting rural villages and farms in groups in the following regions: Yangpyeong, Ganghwa, Asan, Guri, Paju and Incheon.

On July 10, William Friedland, professor emeritus of UC Santa Cruz, delivered a presentation on the outlook and transformation of agriculture and food industry in a globalizing world. In the presentation, Professor Friedland warned that the lack of protection of small family farms can result in driving out most rural residents from the agricultural industry and rural areas. To prevent this, Friedland said, it is necessary to build up knowledge that contributes to the civil society and a wider agro-food movement by changing the way of conducting agro-food research.  

In a separate presentation on the rural community in a globalizing world, Professor Salete Cavalcanti of Brazil’s Federal University of Pernambuco pointed out that the community that ensures solidarity and convenience is disappearing in a world where labor has become a commodity that has to be purchased in line with the shift in the market and capital. For this reason, the professor stressed, the meaning of community should be newly defined for the prosperity of rural communities in the future.

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