New ruralities and rural development. State of the question and application of a new analytical method in Catalonia: the ‘rural web’

This article starts with the state of the question of the new paradigm of rural development, which is followed by a critical assessment of the literature reviewed for its elaboration. Next, we present the model of the ‘rural web’ (Ploeg and Marsden, 2008), an innovative theoretical framework about rural development which can also be used as an analytical or diagnostic tool. Afterwards, we explain how we applied this model using questionnaires and focus groups to analyse the process of development that has undergone the county of Priorat (SW Catalonia) from the 1980s until now. The results obtained allow us to conclude that the model of the ‘rural web’ is a useful tool for an in-depth understanding of a rural development process, even though it cannot be understood as a rigid or incontestable model.