With accelerating urbanization and growing inter-dependence of rural and urban dwellers on the markets and resources they each offer, rural-urban linkages have become a very important focus, in recent years, for research and policy relating to local and national economic development, poverty relief and governance. The emergence of new livelihoods based on diversified income sources and mobility reflects profound social, cultural and economic transformations, and new forms of resource allocation and use. This volume collects the key contributions in the field, covering the conceptual background, the key issues and the current debates, and locating different approaches in their wider intellectual and historical contexts. It also includes important recent empirical work from all the relevant geographical regions that will be the basis for future thinking.
Twenty-two papers are clearly organized around the principal themes, and accompanied by valuable editorial introductions and a conclusion clearly setting out the issues, the arguments and the evidence. Suggestions for further reading and additional information sources are also included.