Life in rural Britain has changed beyond recognition since the beginning of the twentieth century. Through dramatic events, such as the ban on hunting and the outbreak of mad cow disease, and through the growth of the organic movement, changes in farming practices and increasing rural poverty have all had an effect on how we view the countryside and the people who live there. Through an examination of the historical background to some of the main controversies, the authors explore the key elements of rural life, including the varying responses to animal disease during Biblical times to the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the relationship between farming methods and landscape preservation, as well as organic farming, the role of the European Union and the truth about the Countryside Alliance. Throughout, they address the thorny question of whether the countryside can still support a rural population. This is essential reading for anyone with an interest in contemporary and historical rural life in Britain.

Life in rural Britain has changed beyond recognition since the beginning of the twentieth century. This title examines the historical background of the main controversies of contemporary rural life. It explores key elements of rural life from the varying responses to animal disease during Biblical times to the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

About the Author
Jeremy Burchardt is a Lecturer in Rural History at Reading University. His previous publications include Paradise Lost (I.B.Tauris) and The Allotment Movement in England. Philip Conford is a leading authority on the history of organic movement in Britain and an Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of History, University of Reading.


Book Information
ISBN 9781350171404
Author Jeremy Burchardt
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 318g