Exploring the concept of rurality among university students in Sardinia, Italy

The concept of “rurality” continues to be subject to intense debate and research. Lack of a shared interpretation and ambiguous definition have led to difficulty in application, with an area sometimes defined as rural by certain policies being perceived by inhabitants as urban. This article explores the concept of rurality as primarily a cultural construct by examining its meaning through associations made with the term “rural” by two different student populations in Sardinia, Italy. Key questions around understandings of “rural”, based upon training and “reality”, are explored for two student populations completing formal education training in territorial and landscape planning following different schools of thought. Results show the two groups generally agreed upon the definition of rurality, yet differed on other aspects. Overall, features associated with rurality were found to be consistent with local contexts.