Objective We use the study of changes towards sustainable development in rural Europe as a means of illuminating the shape and dynamics of European knowledge society more generally. We define a knowledge society as one which contains not just one but a plurality of knowledges, expert and lay. These range from the scientific, economic, administrative, and managerial to local, practical and ecological knowledge, traditional repertoires, trial and error or experientially-based discoveries. We further define sustainable development as a knowledge- based set of practices, within which the expert form of knowledge has been dominant, but to which non-expert forms may make a significant contribution. We seek to identify the dynamics of these different forms of knowledge, and their functioning in relation to economy and society, through case studies in 12 different European countries of rural development projects oriented towards increasing sustainability. From an ecological point of view, rural areas are key areas for the transition to sustainable development. With the sustainability policy switch, rural areas have gained new economic significance in the post-industrial and post-agricultural development phase. This is visible in the manifold reactivations of the countryside as a diversifying, locally based economy encompassing new forms of agriculture (including organic and non-food production), small-scale food-processing, new forms of rural tourism, new forms of managing the complex natural resources which are found in or related to rural areas. These reactivations, their varying social and institutional forms, and their use of different forms of knowledge, will be the subject of case-study research through which this project seeks to contribute to a comparative analysis of the emergence of European knowledge society, and to the provision of a sound knowledge base for policies to manage this transition. Fields of science social sciencespolitical sciencespolitical communicationsocial sciencessociologygovernancesocial sciencespolitical sciencespolitical policiescivil societynongovernmental organizationssocial sciencessociologydemographycensussocial scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and management Keywords civil development dynamics knowledge society sustainable Programme(s) FP6-CITIZENS - Citizens and Governance in a knowledge-based society: Thematic Priority 7 under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research Programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) CITIZENS-2002-7.1.2 - Cultural dialogue and the European society Call for proposal FP6-2002-CITIZENS-2 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator THE PROVOST FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY AND UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN HEREINAFTER TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN EU contribution No data Address College Green DUBLIN Ireland See on map Total cost No data Participants (12) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all GOETEBORGS UNIVERSITET. Sweden EU contribution No data Address Vasaparken Box 100 GOETEBORG See on map Total cost No data HUNGARIAN ACADEMY SCIENCES Hungary EU contribution No data Address Orazaghaz Street 14 BUDAPEST See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITAT DE VALENCIA Spain EU contribution No data Address Avenida Blasco Ibanez 13 VALENCIA See on map Total cost No data JAGIELLONIAN UNIVERSITY Poland EU contribution No data Address ul.Go_bia 24 KRAKOW See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI FEDERICO II. Italy EU contribution No data Address Corso Umberto I, 40 NAPOLI See on map Total cost No data AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS. Greece EU contribution No data Address Iera Odos 75 ATHENS See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSIDADE TECNICA DE LISBOA Portugal EU contribution No data Address Al. San Antonio dos Capuchos 1 LISBOA See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address King's College ABERDEEN See on map Total cost No data CENTRE FOR RURAL RESEARCH Norway EU contribution No data Address University Centre, NTNU Dragvoll -Loholt alle 85 TRONDHEIM See on map Total cost No data LEIBNIZ-ZENTRUM FUER AGRARLANDSCHAFTS- UND LANDNUTZUNGSFORSCHUNG E.V. Germany EU contribution No data Address Eberswalder Str. 84 MUENCHEBERG See on map Total cost No data CESKA ZEMEDELSKA UNIVERSZITA V PRAZE Czechia EU contribution No data Address Kamycka 129 PRAHA 6 - SUCHDOL See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address 6 Kensington Terrace NEWCASTLE See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data