The aim of the course is to introduce students with theoretically based knowledge of rural settlements and rural areas; to provide students knowledge in analyzing qualitative and quantitative changes of rural areas; to enable students to gain knowledge about rural revitalization and importance of its application in Serbian rural areas.

The module should enable students to develop skills and knowledge for active participation in revitalization of rural areas in Serbia; to develop ability of students to apply their knowledge in different areas of revitalization policies which consider development of rural areas.

Theoretical lectures

(1) Concept, theory, methodology and importance of revitalization of rural areas. (2-3) Scientific aspects of the revitalization of rural settlements; Rural development and revitalization policies; Types of revitalization of rural settlements and rural areas. (4-5) Typology of rural areas; Depopulated rural areas, abandoned rural areas, rural areas with extensive agriculture, rural areas characterized by aging, mountain, border and peripheral rural areas etc; Functional classification of rural areas. (6-7) Major rural problems – case studies in developed and developing countries; Facts and main causes of depopulation and land abandonment of rural areas – global and local. (8-9) Major rural problems in Serbia; Depopulation, aging, land abandonment, socio-economic decline, poverty, infrastructure problems etc. and their impact on the rural areas. (10-12) Regional disparities and major problems of rural areas in Serbia; Natural, social, cultural and economic potentials of rural areas in Serbia; Rural settlements as potential development axis of Serbia. (13) Revitalization policies and strategies for rural areas; Concepts, models and tools for rural development – global and local; EU rural development policy towards candidate countries. (14) Rural development policies and strategies in Serbia – historical overview. (15) Sustainable development of rural settlements and rural areas in Serbia.

Practical lectures

Research tasks – determining the importance of revitalization of rural settlements, roles of agricultural and rural development, rural household characteristics and perspectives.

Grupa autora (1969–1975). Perspektivni razvitak seoskih naselja Srbije. Beograd: IAUS.

Stamenković Đ. S. (1999). Naučna polazišta proučavanja aktuelne ruralne situacije i seoskih naselja kao mogućih centara razvoja Srbije. Stanovništvo, br. 1–4, Beograd: Institut društvenih nauka, Centar za demografska istraživanja.

(1995). Revitalizacija sela. Zbornik radova. Čačak: Agronomski fakultet u Čačku Univerziteta u Kragujevcu i Moravički okrug.

(2006). The Role of Agriculture and Rural Development in Revitalizing Abandoned/Depopulated Areas. Food and Agriculture Organization of UN.

Bogdanov N. (2007). Mala ruralna domaćinstva u Srbiji i ruralna nepoljoprivredna ekonomija. Beograd: Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede. (II poglavlje)

Vasilevska Lj. (2006). Ruralni razvoj u regionalnim okvirima, Beograd. (V poglavlje)

Prostorni plan Republike Srbije 2010-2020. (segment Održivi razvoj).

Strategija prostornog razvoja Republike Srbije (segment Razvoj i uređenje sela i ruralnih područja).

Nacionalni program ruralnog razvoja Srbije 2011-2013.