John Smithers
Professor Emeritus
College of Social & Applied Human Sciences
Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics
Guelph, Ontario
jsmither@uoguelph.ca
Office:
(519) 824-4120 ext. 56722
Bio/Research
Dr. Smither's primary research interests relate to how various types and processes of change are altering rural places and spaces in Canada and elsewhere. Once well understood in both its composition and function, the nature and purpose of rural space is now highly contested in many regions. Whil...
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Bio/Research
Dr. Smither's primary research interests relate to how various types and processes of change are altering rural places and spaces in Canada and elsewhere. Once well understood in both its composition and function, the nature and purpose of rural space is now highly contested in many regions. While it might have been clear at one time that the purpose of the countryside was for primary production, that is no longer so clear. Many of the changes that have affected society as a whole in recent decades have imprinted themselves on the rural landscape and have altered the nature of the economic activity, the demographics of rural communities and the composition of “influential voices” in the governance of rural affairs. In some respects, the contemporary countryside has become a canvas on which a wide variety of social, economic and governance issues are playing out – sometimes happily and sometimes not.
Over the past decade, Smithers' research has focused on how rural areas generally, and agriculture, in particular, have been affected by, and have responded to pressures and processes of change. Specific research foci have included the sensitivity of agricultural systems to changes in either environmental conditions or environmental governance approaches. The former is reflected in issues such as climatic variation and change and the latter in agri-environmental programs and understanding farmer acceptance or rejection of these measures. Smither's focus has shifted to understanding how various forces are producing multiple types and trajectories of development in the same rural places – and acknowledging that these trends are not always complementary to each other. A series of analyses, conducted with graduate students, has explored the idea that agriculture and rural communities are becoming less connected than was historically the case – and have tried to identify points of potential reconnection. This idea of “reconnection” underlies Smither's current interest and activity in local food systems and short(er) supply chains in the farm sector. He is running a multi-faceted program of research that is exploring how various food initiatives are forming and redefining producer-consumer relations and even the purpose of rural space. Along the way, he and his collaborators have been looking at the Farmers’ Market as a site of local food trade, the formation of local food networks, the re-orientation of rural space around amenity and consumption, and the emerging environmental importance of re-localizing food (e.g. carbon costs and food miles).
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Over the past decade, Smithers' research has focused on how rural areas generally, and agriculture, in particular, have been affected by, and have responded to pressures and processes of change. Specific research foci have included the sensitivity of agricultural systems to changes in either environmental conditions or environmental governance approaches. The former is reflected in issues such as climatic variation and change and the latter in agri-environmental programs and understanding farmer acceptance or rejection of these measures. Smither's focus has shifted to understanding how various forces are producing multiple types and trajectories of development in the same rural places – and acknowledging that these trends are not always complementary to each other. A series of analyses, conducted with graduate students, has explored the idea that agriculture and rural communities are becoming less connected than was historically the case – and have tried to identify points of potential reconnection. This idea of “reconnection” underlies Smither's current interest and activity in local food systems and short(er) supply chains in the farm sector. He is running a multi-faceted program of research that is exploring how various food initiatives are forming and redefining producer-consumer relations and even the purpose of rural space. Along the way, he and his collaborators have been looking at the Farmers’ Market as a site of local food trade, the formation of local food networks, the re-orientation of rural space around amenity and consumption, and the emerging environmental importance of re-localizing food (e.g. carbon costs and food miles).
Click to Shrink <<