Social and Spatial Context in Rural Development Strategies

The urban functions approach and the location-allocation technique may be viewed as similar strategies for locating urban functions in developing rural areas. Both strategies accept and reinforce the patterns of demand and distribution spatially manifest in the existing central place structures of developing rural areas. Because of this there are definable socio-spatial conditions under which either technique is disadvantaged. This article attempts to identify theoretically particular cultural contexts in which advocates of either strategy should be wary.