Neil Argent

Professor Argent's research interests centre on understanding the factors and processes that make robust and sustainable rural communities. He is particularly keen on investigating the role of migration – especially city to rural migration and youth out-migration from rural areas – in changing the social and demographic make-up of rural communities. He also has a strong interest in social theory, especially as it relates to our understandings of space and place, and the key roles each plays within our lives. All of these research interests are reflected in his list of grants and publications (below). In summary, he would say that he is a geographer because of his fascination with understanding why standards of living and ways of life vary from place to place. For him it is critical to know these things before we can intervene to tackle problems like poverty and deleterious environmental change.