Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Confronting social constructions of rural criminality: a case story on 'illegal pluriactivity' in the farming community.

Smith, Robert; McElwee, Gerard

Authors

Robert Smith

Gerard McElwee



Abstract

The accepted social construction of the rural criminal is that of the (alien) urban marauder. In this social script the farmer is presented as the victim of crime. Traditionally, farmers enjoy high levels of social esteem and rarely are they vilified. This case story examines alternative income generating strategies from the margins of agriculture which include theft of animals and property; engaging in the illegal meat trade; trading in illegal medicines and wildlife and dog breeding. This case using ethnographic observation examines the activities of such individuals and documents the phenomenon of an indigenous rural criminal fraternity in Scotland.

Citation

SMITH, R. and MCELWEE, G. 2013. Confronting social constructions of rural criminality: a case story on 'illegal pluriactivity' in the farming community. Sociologia ruralis [online], 53(1), pages 112-134. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.2012.00580.x

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 7, 2013
Online Publication Date Jan 7, 2013
Publication Date Jan 31, 2013
Deposit Date Jan 5, 2015
Publicly Available Date Jan 5, 2015
Journal Sociologia ruralis
Print ISSN 0038-0199
Electronic ISSN 1467-9523
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 53
Issue 1
Pages 112-134
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.2012.00580.x
Keywords Farm entrepreneurship; Illegal pluriactivity; Illegal entrepreneurship; Farm crime
Public URL http://hdl.handle.net/10059/1110
Contract Date Jan 5, 2015

Files




Downloadable Citations