Transnational Theory Building for Researching the Global Countryside: Perspectives from Taiwan and the UK

这个网络将把来自台湾和英国的农村社会科学研究人员聚集在一起，开展一个创新项目，探索开发“跨国理论”的前景，以促进对全球、国家和地区动态的理解，这些动态正在重塑世界各地的农村社会和经济。我们所说的“跨国理论”指的是一种分析和理解当代农村社会的思想框架，这种框架不偏向任何一种文化或地域背景，而是对基于不同地理环境的多种贡献和影响持开放态度。该建议回应了对英语概念和西方理论模式在国际农村社会科学中盛行的新批评，并回应了发展更具包容性和世界性的农村研究的呼声，以便更好地与当代全球农村相互关联但混合和异质的特征接触。对台湾和英国的关注被设想为一个试验性试点，可以探索“跨国理论建设”的可能性，并为更广泛的应用确立原则；但也是该倡议的适当配对，反映了英国农村研究在塑造该领域研究方法方面的长期影响，以及台湾日益增长的农村研究社区，他们越来越多地参与国际网络，但正在转向对西方概念的翻译和应用采取更关键的立场。因此，值得注意的是，项目中的思想交流必须是双向的，包括考虑植根于台湾文化和社会的理论视角和概念如何为英国农村的社会和经济动态提供新的见解，反之亦然。因此，通过寻求以这种方式扩大对当代农村社会的学术分析和了解的能力，该项目还旨在为解决两国农村地区面临的社会挑战，特别是在移徙、粮食系统以及农村政治和治理问题方面的新政策和实际应用作出贡献。该网络将通过一个在线和面对面活动方案来实现这些目标，该方案的重点是讨论和比较英国和台湾参与者对通过有针对性的实地考察而了解的选定案例研究的观点，并导致形成“跨国理论”和协作成果。

This network will bring together rural social science researchers from Taiwan and the UK in an innovative project to explore the prospect of developing 'transnational theory' that can advance understanding of the global, national and regional dynamics that are reshaping rural societies and economies around the world. By 'transnational theory' we mean a framework of ideas for analysing and understanding contemporary rural society that is not biased towards any one cultural or territorial context, but is open to multiple contributions and influences grounded in diverse geographical settings. The proposal responds to an emerging critique of the prevalence of Anglophone concepts and western theoretical models in international rural social science, and to calls for the development of a more inclusive and cosmopolitan rural studies that is better equipped to engage with the inter-connected yet hybrid and heterogenous character of the contemporary global countryside. The focus on Taiwan and the UK is envisaged as an experimental pilot that can explore the possibilities for 'transnational theory building' and establish principles for wider application; but is also an appropriate pairing for the initiative, reflecting the long-standing influence of British rural studies in shaping research approaches in the field as well as the growing rural research community in Taiwan that is increasingly engaged in international networks, but is moving to a more critical stance on the translation and application of western concepts. Significantly, therefore, the exchange of ideas in the project must be two-way, involving consideration of how theoretical perspectives and concepts rooted in Taiwanese culture and society might provide new insights into social and economic dynamics in the British countryside as well as vice versa. By seeking to expand capacity for academic analysis and understanding of contemporary rural society in this way, the project consequently also aims to contribute to informing new policy and practical applications to address societal challenges facing rural areas in both countries, especially around issues of migration, food systems and rural politics and governance. The network will achieve these aims through a programme of online and in-person activities focused on discussing and comparing the perspectives of British and Taiwanese participants on selected case studies informed by targeted fieldwork and leading to the formulation of 'transnational theory' and collaborative outputs.