The essays in "School Food Politics" explore the intersections of food and politics on all six of the inhabited continents of the world. Including electoral fights over universally free school meals in Korea, nutritional reforms to school dinners in England and canteens in Australia, teachers' and doctors' work on school feeding in…

Refutes an article by David Godden criticizing the author's proposed rural development policy for Australia. Points out that the author did not label urban dwellers "parasites," that the literature review was both comprehensive and appropriate, and that there is existing evidence indicating that rural policy is subsumed under…

Rural development policy and practice in the "advanced" Western nations is based increasingly on community-led strategies that seek to manage risk and facilitate change at the local level with minimal direct state intervention. It is widely assumed that such development strategies enable local people to have a greater say in transforming…

Debunks common myths about rurality and rural Australia. Calls for a change in perspective, putting person and place at the center of learning. Local involvement is key to the proposed Centre for Rural Communities, which would promote community sustainability through networking and training. Describes the Rural Women's Programme in Victoria and a…

This keynote address suggests that the rural sector of Australia is, and will remain, absolutely essential to the well-being of the entire nation. There are misconceptions that the rural economy is no longer important to the nation as a whole and that rural people and communities are marginal to society. Australia's entire economy is heavily…

Conventional notions of leadership have focused on the leader alone rather than on the situation that leaders must enable. The common threads to successful rural community development in Australia over the last few decades lie in the way the community develops its stores of social capital, which is based on trust, shared values, networks, and…

The text of a speech at a UNICEF conference in Australia, this document discusses how development education has come into being, why it is important, and prospects and problems for furthering the work. Amidst criticism of the sincerity of donor charity, the honesty and effectiveness of helping agencies, media overexposure, and the questioning of…

Argues that the rural development policy for Australia proposed by Jonathan and Katrina Sher in a previous issue of this journal is inadequate because the analysis on which it is based is generally unsubstantiated, supportive arguments have been found invalid, the richness of Australian society is overlooked, and economic arguments are flawed.…

Rural areas around the world face problems stemming from the globalization of agricultural and other markets, the resulting competitiveness for existing and shifting markets, loss of population, and consequent decline of economic and social infrastructure. Rural communities need to develop the ability to manage change, and this requires engaging…

This paper proposes a framework for developing a national rural development policy in Australia. Some common relevant misconceptions are that rural Australia and rural Australians are peripheral to the national economy and the nation's future, that farmers and farming communities are the alpha and omega of rural Australia, and that whatever is…

Discusses the historical development of Australia's rural economy and examines ways in which Australia's economic development and current position are reflected in national education policies. Concludes that the current national agenda for education may not fully benefit rural people as it is based on urban models that neglect specific needs and…

Education, in many countries, is in a state of contraction due to declining enrolments and to economic factors which cause a high rate of unemployment even among the educated. To prevent closing or consolidation, the maintenance of many rural schools by the community seems likely in the future to depend on widening their activities beyond the…

Examines the context of rural communities in Australia and the extent to which inaccurate stereotypes about rurality have misshaped public policy and programs. Advocates developing a rural development plan that capitalizes on the unique attributes of rural Australia and focuses on rural empowerment, environmental concerns, entrepreneurship, and…

This issue of the Courier contains articles loosely connected to each other by the underlying theme of developing people's capacity to improve the quality of their lives. The following articles are included: "Development of Human Resources--A Basic Needs Approach," by Mohiuddin Ahmad; "Rural Poverty," by the United Nations Food…

Suggests that the rural development policy for Australia proposed by Jonathan and Katrina Sher in a previous issue of this journal fails to differentiate between "rural" and "regional," resulting in policies aimed at regional areas and the marginalization of rural communities. Offers a distinction between rural, urban, and…