Ageing in the Changing Countryside: The Experience of Rural Czechs

Abstract

Gerontological research has extensively focused on the experiences of people ageing within changing social contexts. However, accounts from the context of the European post-socialist transformation are missing. In addition, there is a lack of theoretical understanding concerning how older people experience ageing as part of the dynamic process of rural change. In this article, we present the perspectives of older Czech rural residents on living and ageing in the changing countryside. Based on 20 qualitative interviews with older adults, we show how they interpret contemporary changes in three major areas: politics and economy, infrastructure and technology, and local population and community life. Embedded in a constructionist approach, we aim to understand how their interpretations of current changes are related to their views on the past, to their self-positioning within current and past changes and their sense of local and social belonging. We introduce the concept of biographical contextualisation, which grasps the temporal horizon of meaning-making with regard to contemporary changes in rural life.

Community Landscape Preferences for Reuse of Soviet‐Era Post‐Agricultural Brownfields—What's the Difference?*

“…Generally, the perception of large‐scale agriculture is rather negative (Cariola et al 2018; Carolan 2008; Day et al 2021). However, it has been an integral part of socialist rural spaces since the 1960s (Bezak and Mitchley 2014) and clearly arouses feelings of nostalgia in some people (Galčanová and Staveník 2020; Pasieka 2012; Zhang 2020). This could also be related to the strong preferences for features typical of intensive agriculture among farmers (Brush, Chenoweth, and Barman 2000)—farmers perceive landscapes in ways that non‐farmers may not understand (Burton, Kuczera, and Schwarz 2008).…”

Preference and paradox: Local residents’ perspectives on the reuse of post‐agricultural brownfield sites

“…It is quite surprising as generally the reported perception of large‐scale agricultural production is rather negative (Cariola et al., 2018; Carolan, 2008; Day et al., 2021). But in the context of post‐socialist rural spaces, the large‐scale agricultural system of communist times can now be perceived through the lens of nostalgia (Galcanova & Stavenik, 2020; Pasieka, 2012; Zhang, 2020). This pattern of preferences in supporting agricultural production is reversed in areas that have favourable conditions for agriculture, such that preferences for agricultural reuse are expressed less frequently.…”

Regeneration of Post-Agricultural Brownfield for Social Care Needs in Rural Community: Is There Any Transferable Experience?

“…On the other hand, as [ 37 ] warns, stagnation or even regression are also possible. As brownfield regenerations for social care needs are still rare in a post-socialist context, it is difficult to theorize, however, it is expected that dynamic aging of rural communities will feed demand for these facilities in the near future [ 40 ].…”