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In comparison to the wealth of critical evaluation of LEADER (i.e., Liaison entre actions de développement de l'économie rurale), there has been no consolidated attempt to reflect on the contribution of Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), now entering their third EU programming period. Set up in the image of LEADER, and a novel governance instrument within the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), FLAGs aim to activate local responses that build resilience and adaptability within the fisheries sector and wider communities. In addition to introducing the accompanying articles that make up this special issue of Sociologia Ruralis, our article gives an account of the emergence of community‐led local development (CLLD) in fisheries and the attributes that have characterised the application of the LEADER approach within a fisheries‐territorial development context. In many cases, FLAGs have led to improved relationships between the small‐scale fishing sector and wider local social and economic networks, helping the sector reimagine its role within local economies. Yet outcomes vary as the FLAG approach has been applied across different cultural and institutional settings. There are indications that the system is becoming enveloped by wider priorities of coastal development and blue growth. Yet FLAGs may well provide a successful test case for widening participation in the CFP and upscaling integration of the fishing industry within local and regional economies. For CLLD in general, they are a reminder of the value of a differentiated CLLD approach tailored to different sectoral‐territorial contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fisheries and coastal economies across Europe have witnessed substantial structural changes that have brought about challenges for territorial cohesion and social renewal within the fishing sector. Notably, there has been a disconnect between the industry and local communities, with fisheries largely producing commodities for wide‐ranging and often distant markets. In response, short food supply chains (SFSCs) are often an important element of the local development strategies of Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), being regarded as a possible mechanism for increasing added value and (re‐)localising the sector to aid territorial development. This article examines the conditions that lead to SFSCs having a higher market share in a FLAG area. Drawing on social capital theory, we employ a novel fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis approach using survey data from FLAG managers from across Europe, in what is a first empirical attempt to apply the method in the context of community‐led local development. The analysis pays particular attention to the three dimensions of social capital—structural, normative‐cognitive and network governance—and finds that while different combinations of social capital can lead to a stronger presence of SFSCs, certain types of social capital are more conducive to SFSCs depending on the nature of territorial factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Philip Lowe died in February 2020, and so an academic career spanning five decades in environmental and rural social science and the sociology of knowledge came to an end. A pioneer of the social science of environmentalism, since the early 1990s, Philip Lowe had been closely associated with the Centre for Rural Economy at Newcastle University in the UK and had been the intellectual force behind establishing rural economy as both a subject and mode of social science analysis. This article reflects on a career and the evolving concept of 'rural economy' as an economic form, a policy realm and a knowledge practice. Through this history, it presents an account of the contribution of Philip Lowe's research and writing that, as a result of his death, now stands as a bounded and complete body of work for the benefit of future generations of scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Expertise presents an encompassing frame to progress the democratisation of knowledge. • Neo-endogenous (networked) models of development build on expertise in place or vernacular expertise. • Vernacular expertise combines field/place generated and field/place focused knowledge. • Vernacular expertise is place-based and hybrid, nourished by outside sources and agents. • Development approaches should identify ways to draw upon and strengthen the vernacular expertise of all development agents. Abstract Understandings of socially distributed expertise as being key to living, interpreting and intervening in the world, are increasingly used in development narratives, referring usually to knowledge sharing across multi-stakeholder partnerships. This movement towards the democratisation of expertise challenges the ideological claim of science to be the exclusive source of objective information, evidence and discovery on which informed decisions and technological developments should be based. But if we reject that claim, what are the implications for the way stakeholders learn, organise and transmit knowledge and skills, and resolve problems? And how do science and expertise come together in development narratives and practices? We address these questions through an examination of the changing relationship between scientific, professional and non-professional expertise in rural development. Firstly, we examine the evolution of models of rural development and knowledge generation over past decades and introduce the concept of vernacular expertise – the expertise that people have and develop that is place-based but crucially nourished by outside sources and agents and which underpins neo-endogenous development models. Secondly, by drawing empirically on qualitative research with rural advisory professionals who support farmer decision making we unpack the composition of vernacular expertise as a fusion of field/place generated and field/place focused knowledge, and consider how it may be better recognised and enhanced in development processes and policy agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the precarious situation of Europe's coastal fisheries in an increasingly complex world where environmental, economic, political and social instabilities - either separately or interactively - threaten their future sustainability. It draws particular attention to key lessons from resilience thinking and the role that social sciences can play in developing a deeper understanding of the nature of change and the processes shaping the vulnerability, resilience and adaptation of fishing communities and livelihoods, as well as the dangers implicit in certain aspects of fisheries policy. The article concludes by introducing the articles in this special issue of Sociologia Ruralis on ' Resilience and Adaptation of Fishing Communities'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axis 4 of the European Fisheries Fund is an important new opportunity for fishing communities which offers the prospect of integrating local territorial approaches and strategies to support the fishing sector. But what does it mean to find a 'middle way' where households, businesses and localities dependent on fishing are part of an integrated strategy for local territorial development? In this article we review these models of development and draw on case-study findings to discuss how Fisheries Local Action Groups ( FLAGs) provide lessons for the future. The article reveals a need for greater clarity regarding the intended beneficiaries and overarching novel purpose of Axis 4 and sets out an original typology of fisheries dependency to help guide local strategies. Looking beyond local impacts, the article argues that the success of the initiative may be judged in terms of how far steering a middle course can contribute to the broader transformation of fisheries policy and to what extent FLAGs can play a role in evidencing the resilience and vulnerabilities of fishing communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: One of the greatest weaknesses of the current research system is that it remains fragmented, introspective and lacking in creative connectivity, both between the participating disciplines and with wider sources of knowledge and expertise. It has been apparent for many years that the future for policy related research in fisheries and the marine environment lies in an interdisciplinary approach incorporating the natural, economic and social sciences. This will be central to broadening the objectives of policy to include such diverse notions as ecosystem integrity, economic viability and social equity, and to develop effective approaches to integrated management and marine spatial planning. But why are truly interdisciplinary perspectives still slow to develop, and how can such an approach to knowledge production be enabled and realised? In this paper we review the case for interdisciplinary research and call for renewed and deliberate efforts to build capacity for interdisciplinary working within research projects, programmes and institutions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is commonly put forward that effective uptake of research in policy or practice must be built upon a foundation of active knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement during the research. However, what is often lacking is a systematic appreciation of the specific practices of knowledge exchange and their relative merits. The paper reports on a 2009 survey of 21 research projects within the UK Research Councils’ Rural Economy and Land Use Programme regarding the involvement and perceived impact of over a thousand stakeholders in the research. The survey reveals that most stakeholders were involved as research subjects or as event participants. Large numbers were also engaged in the research process itself, including involvement in shaping the direction of research. Stakeholder engagement is perceived as bringing significant benefits to the process of knowledge production. A close relationship is found between mechanisms and approaches to knowledge exchange and the spread of benefits for researchers and stakeholders. Mutual benefits are gained from exchange of staff or where stakeholders are members of research advisory groups. Different stakeholder sectors are also associated with different patterns of engagement, which lead to contrasting impact patterns. Any efforts to alter knowledge exchange processes and outcomes must overcome these differing engagement tendencies. Overall, much greater attention should be given to early processes of knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement within the lifetime of research projects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a recent paper in this journal it was suggested that the conventional knowledge practices of disciplines are the fundamental obstacle to mutual understanding between academic experts. Such a position, we argue, underplays the institutional relationships that recreate expert and disciplinary divides. To demonstrate our case we discuss how in the UK the evolving relationship between the government and research councils has crucially altered the context for efforts to stimulate interdisciplinary research. Our analysis highlights the scope for changes in institutional structures and practices that would facilitate broader and more encompassing research into complex sustainability problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses research conducted on the relationship between social sciences and ecology. By examining technical papers, much is revealed about the development of common analytical methods as well as the role of humans in applied ecology. Topics evaluated include the ways in which ecologists navigate knowledge as a source of power and bias, as well as how they choose to adopt an empiricist or rationalist logic. Anthropogenic factors that are driving ecological change are discussed, and the subjectivity of environmental management is examined through the lens of Great Britain's Biodiversity Action Plan.

Abstract: Throughout most of the developed world, social objectives play a very subdued role in shaping fisheries policy. Despite the persistence of social issues, including access to fishing rights, renewal of the industry’s social capital and the sustainability of fishing communities, the attitude of policy makers is equivocal. Though prepared to acknowledge the relevance of such concerns, they are strangely unwilling to incorporate explicit social objectives into the design of fisheries policy. The paper explores the changing nature of social issues, involving a shift in political attention from the needs of the individual to broader community and societal concerns. And, in the context of the complex multi-level governance frameworks for European and UK fisheries management, it seeks explanations for the reluctance to commit to social objectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the evolution of the contemporary agri-food system, charting the increasing assertion of consumer concerns along the food chain and the resultant opposition to technology-driven models of food production. It sets out a case for closer integration between social and natural science research to reflect more effectively the complexity of contemporary food systems, and to respond to demands for technological options and the basic science behind them to be opened up to public scrutiny and social choice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper provides an account of the origins and formation of the UK Research Councils’ Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) programme and its approach to promoting interdisciplinary working between social and natural scientists. The programme is set in the context of broader developments in science policy, including a policy discourse centred upon sustainable development and the knowledge economy and associated demands for greater accountability in science. Interdisciplinarity promises research that will be more relevant and responsive to public needs and concerns. In describing the provenance of the RELU programme, therefore, the paper seeks to lay out the different stages in its initiation and design to show how, to varying degrees, these were open to external scrutiny and influence. The process of developing the programme illustrates that it is not straightforward to make research agendas and funding more transparent and accountable. It also provides insights into the challenges that interdisciplinarity and accountability present to established science institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case study research in two rural market towns in the north of England investigates the local connectivity of micro-businesses and notions of co-operative behaviour with a view to informing a debate on the extent to which external (state) agencies can support the formation of local business networks. The research finds that co-operation is often associated with symbolic activities to express local identities with few cases of formal collective action. The case studies highlight an inherent danger of external state intervention in the facilitation of small business networks, in that, by disturbing established local norms and networks, such interventions may jeopardise the latent structures of social capital which they seek to exploit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the coping behaviour of micro-businesses during the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak of 2001 in the UK revealed the importance of households to micro-businesses. However it was not just family members who helped businesses to cope with the crisis. Non-family members of households also took part in activities to help businesses survive declines in turnover. Whilst business families have received considerable attention in research that examines how small firms are socially embedded and the consequences of this for business growth and decision making, this paper explores business households and how these enabled small firms to cope with the FMD outbreak. The paper develops the concept of the business household, explaining it from three (connected) perspectives: work, consumption and people. It is influenced by an institutional approach to the household, which relates the organisation of tasks inside the household to political and economic processes outside it, and is based on qualitative and quantitative data collected from both farming and non-farming businesses in the north of England in 2001/2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farming enterprises throughout the European Union have traditionally been treated very differently by the state compared with their nonagricultural counterparts. Agricultural activities have been governed by a separate set of policy objectives, political institutions, and support agencies. However, this agricultural 'exceptionalism' is being steadily eroded as markets are partially liberalised, farmers are encouraged to pursue new forms of economic activity, and as government institutions are reformed. Farmers are being encouraged to see themselves as 'entrepreneurs' to face fundamentally changed markets. There is, therefore, renewed attention to the existing levels of generic business skills within the farming sector and to the nature and effectiveness of business advice and support frameworks in enhancing these skills. The paper investigates the extent to which farmers have experienced different patterns of business support use and perceive themselves as having different generic skills needs in comparison with other rural microbusinesses and considers the attractiveness of different models of delivering business advice to the sector. A review is undertaken of the evolution of rural business support in England together with an analysis of data from a survey of almost 1800 rural microbusinesses in the northeast of England. It is concluded that there are a number of significant challenges facing the adjustment of the farm sector towards a more entrepreneurial model of business development arising from the sector's legacy of separation and exceptionalism within the support framework. In order to help encourage the development of generic business skills an 'intermediary' model of business advice is advocated, in which an intermediary agency acts as a bridge between farms and generic business support providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the formation and facilitation of small business networks in North East England. Question on the nature of local business communities; Potential of local business networks to represent the communities; Need of local business networks to reflect the patterns of social and economic differentiation.

The development of sustainable fisheries is more likely to emerge where management is legitimated through the integration of the fishing industry in the policy process. Co-management, where responsibility is shared between the state and the user groups, offers a persuasive theoretical model but is difficult to envisage when refracted through the institutional and political cultures of the UK. The paper examines the opportunities and constraints for the delegation of management functions to fishermen's organizations and attempts to chart a possible course towards the development of co-management in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including economic and social instability for fishing communities, Europe's fishing industries, and question over the capacity of fisheries management systems to support sustainable development.

A response by Philip Lowe and Jeremy Phillipson to a letter to the editor about their article "Barriers to research collaboration across disciplines: scientific paradigms and institutional practices" in the 2006 issue is presented.

The article reports on the scoping of an interdisciplinary research agenda. It introduces the scope and purpose of the Great Britain Research Councils' Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) Program. It mentions that RELU is a unique research program that sets new horizons to its different approach to the interdisciplinarity.

Local business associations can be important mechanisms for stimulating inter-firm cooperation leading to economic growth and development. However, previous research suggests that the unfulfilled expectations of their members can lead to low participation, high membership churn and network instability over time. As a departure from studies that have explored why local associations supply certain benefits and services, this paper draws on an original, demand side membership survey of local business associations to identify for the first time the bundles of benefits sought by members. Two bundles of benefits (instrumental and info-social) relating to thin and thick models of rational choice, respectively, are identified in explaining why firms join and remain part of associations. The relevance of these bundles to members was found to vary with business profile and length of membership, with the value of instrumental benefits reducing over time, whereas the demand for info-social benefits remained relatively stable. The findings have important implications for local strategies for sustaining business networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the expertise of field-level advisors in rural land management. The context is the English uplands and negotiation over a Higher Level Stewardship agreement. An observed encounter between a hill farmer, his retained land agent, and an ecologist working for Natural England illustrates the multiple roles that field-level advisors have in regulating, directing, and influencing contemporary land management. The paper draws on field notes taken during work shadowing and in-depth interviews, to reflect upon the relationships that constitute field expertise-not only between farmer and advisor, but amongst the advisors too (and those who advise them). We argue that expert-expert interaction and the emergence of networks of practice are crucial to the development of field expertise and are key factors in the increasing complexity of the decision making underpinning contemporary land management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The urgency and complexity of current environmental problems require ecologists to engage in cross-disciplinary research with social scientists, among others. 2. This study explores what ecologists expect from such cross-disciplinary engagements, through a review of editorial statements in key ecological journals and an empirical survey of ecologists working with social scientists. 3. Ecologists were found to have different perspectives on collaborating with social scientists depending upon whether they had an instrumental or non-instrumental outlook on the role of social sciences. 4. Ecologists are also pursuing other approaches to incorporate human dimensions into their work, including engaging end-users and stakeholders in their research; and enlarging the scope of ecology to include human subjects/objects in their research focus. 5. Synthesis and applications. Ecologists face strategic choices when incorporating human/social dimensions in their work – whether engagement with stakeholders, enlargement of ecology as a life science, or active exchange with the social sciences. The choice depends on the stance taken on the place of humans in nature. Each strategy poses specific challenges for ecologists relating respectively to: the justification of how and which stakeholders to engage; the avoidance of naïve borrowings of terms and methods from the social sciences; and the training needed for working in interdisciplinary teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a well-documented interest in how insights from the study of complexity can be applied to policy evaluation. However, important questions remain as to how complexity is understood and used by policy evaluators. We present findings from semi-structured interviews with 30 UK policy evaluators working in food, energy, water and environment policy domains. We explore how they understand, use and approach complexity, and consider the implications for evaluation research and practice. Findings reveal understandings of complexity arising from contextual factors, scale-related issues and perceptions of unpredictability. The evidence indicates terminological and analogical use of complexity and its concepts by policy evaluators, but limited evidence of its literal use. Priorities for the future include framing complexity more pragmatically and as an opportunity not a cost. Communicating this up the policy hierarchy is the key to progressing complexity-appropriate evaluation – this can be enabled by strengthening links between policy evaluation and academic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into business associations indicates that many associations suffer from very high levels of inactive members and fail to deliver significant benefits to members. In order to improve provision, the objective of this paper is to understand the determinants that drive or limit performance of rural business associations. Previous research has focused on the ratio of perceived costs to benefits as informing the decision to remain a member. However, in small associations, membership may be more influenced by social norms than the logic of rational choice. Using measures of satisfaction and willingness to pay for association survival as in-group measures of performance this paper finds that (1) for small associations, group size is critical, (2) associations are valued higher in communities where trust is lower, (3) funding by public bodies may be counterproductive to long-term development aims, and (4) the degree of rurality is insignificant in explaining association performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing emphasis on the need for effective ways of sharing knowledge to enhance environmental management and sustainability. Knowledge exchange (KE) are processes that generate, share and/or use knowledge through various methods appropriate to the context, purpose, and participants involved. KE includes concepts such as sharing, generation, coproduction, comanagement, and brokerage of knowledge. This paper elicits the expert knowledge of academics involved in research and practice of KE from different disciplines and backgrounds to review research themes, identify gaps and questions, and develop a research agenda for furthering understanding about KE. Results include 80 research questions prefaced by a review of research themes. Key conclusions are: (1) there is a diverse range of questions relating to KE that require attention; (2) there is a particular need for research on understanding the process of KE and how KE can be evaluated; and (3) given the strong interdependency of research questions, an integrated approach to understanding KE is required. To improve understanding of KE, action research methodologies and embedding evaluation as a normal part of KE research and practice need to be encouraged. This will foster more adaptive approaches to learning about KE and enhance effectiveness of environmental management. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]