PLATSENS BETYDELSE FÖR LOKAL RESILIENS : En enkätundersökning på den svenska landsbygden

As a consequence of urbanization and the resulting rural decline, rural aeras today face unique threats and risks. Despite this, there is little knowledge about the conditions of rural areas, especially in times of crisis. Meanwhile, local resilience can enable communities to withstand, adapt to, and recover from crisis and stresses, with local collaboration and community cohesion being the rural area’s greatest strengths. Something that previously been noted and thought to positively affect local resilience is place identity. This survey study thus aims to understand ther elationship between place identity and local resiliens among Swedish rural communities. Data was collected through surveys distributed to community centers in rural areas and analyzedusing descriptive analysis. The results indicate the place identity is a central factor in influencing rural communities’ ability to cope with crises. Strong emotional ties to the local area promote cohesion and collative action during crises. The study also highlights variations based on geographic location, with purely rural areas exhibiting higher levels of place identity and local resilience compared to more urbanized areas. These findings highlight the role of place identity in local resilience and emphasize the importance of not viewing rural areas as homogeneous.