The “Greek Economic Crises” and Place of Family Farms and Rural Villages in Sustaining Greek Economy, Culture, and Society: A Multifunctional Perspective

Author/ Authors/ Presenter/ Presenters/ Panelists:

Frances Kostarelos, Governors State University

Location

Hall of Governors

Start Date

4-1-2016 4:00 PM

End Date

4-1-2016 6:00 PM

Other Presentation Disciplines:

Dr. Frances Kostarelos is a Professor of Anthropology and Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Abstract

Since 2008 Greece has received considerable international attention over the national economic crises. Largely overlooked in Greek national, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund discourse on “restructuring“ the Greek economy, culture, and society. The location for this ethnographic project is the four villages of Lerna located on the coastal Peloponnesus, one hundred and sixty miles south of Athens. Participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and field photographs documenting routine activities in village setting—churches, family operated shops, elementary schools, village festivals, farms, households—inform this research and Poster Session presentation. Interpretation of ethnographic data draws on the concept of multifunctionality (Brower 2004) to explore the role of farmers and the family farm in sustaining the Greek rural economy and way of life. This study argues that the family farm and village institution practices embody meaning, a sense of place, identity, and heritage shared by local people. The analysis argues that local knowledge and practices maintained by farm families and rural people contribute to the national economy, identity and heritage and are worthy of attention in national and international policy discourse and planning.

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Apr 1st, 4:00 PM Apr 1st, 6:00 PM

The “Greek Economic Crises” and Place of Family Farms and Rural Villages in Sustaining Greek Economy, Culture, and Society: A Multifunctional Perspective

Hall of Governors

Since 2008 Greece has received considerable international attention over the national economic crises. Largely overlooked in Greek national, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund discourse on “restructuring“ the Greek economy, culture, and society. The location for this ethnographic project is the four villages of Lerna located on the coastal Peloponnesus, one hundred and sixty miles south of Athens. Participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and field photographs documenting routine activities in village setting—churches, family operated shops, elementary schools, village festivals, farms, households—inform this research and Poster Session presentation. Interpretation of ethnographic data draws on the concept of multifunctionality (Brower 2004) to explore the role of farmers and the family farm in sustaining the Greek rural economy and way of life. This study argues that the family farm and village institution practices embody meaning, a sense of place, identity, and heritage shared by local people. The analysis argues that local knowledge and practices maintained by farm families and rural people contribute to the national economy, identity and heritage and are worthy of attention in national and international policy discourse and planning.