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Details - Áine Macken Walsh

Áine Macken Walsh
Áine Macken-Walsh is a Research Officer at Teagasc’s Rural Economy Research Centre (RERC). She has a PhD in rural sociology and her interests are in EU governance and rural development, the culture economy, and socio-cultural systems underpinning agriculture and fishing. Áine commenced with RERC in 2006, coming from the National University of Ireland, Galway where she worked on a variety of research projects over four years. Her post-graduate studies, supported by DG EuropeAid (2002) and the EC 5th Framework Programme (2003-2005), focussed on rights-based approaches to rural development and the EU governance and rural development model.

Áine’s first research project at Teagasc’s Rural Economy Research Centre (RERC) entailed a sociological study of ‘barriers to change’ experienced by Irish farmers and fishers in adapting to contemporary rural development policy. The project, completed in early 2009, was supported by the NDP (2000-2006) and the ICERTS Beaufort Marine Award (2008-2015). Áine is currently undertaking a research programme (2009-2012) that explores the socio-cultural factors influencing farmers’ adaptation to changing agricultural policy contexts. The main areas of focus are the socio-cultural factors influencing beef farmers’ production in light of decoupled subsidy payments, and dairy farmers’ engagement in collaborative farming ventures, such as partnerships and share farming arrangements. Áine is collaborating with Teagasc extension personnel, industry stakeholders, and international and national academic partners on this research programme

Áine is Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Political Science and Sociology, NUI Galway, contributing to MA and PhD modules of the Global Women’s Studies Programme (GWSP). Áine is currently co-supervising two PhD research projects financed by Teagasc’s Walsh Fellowship Scheme: Ms. Maria Feeney, “Rural Men and Suicide: Risks and Vulnerabilities”, co-supervised by Dr. Anne Cleary, Sociology Department, UCD; and Ms. Tanya Watson, “Women’s Narratives - From ‘Rural Women’ to ‘Women in the Countryside?’ Investigating Rural Women’s Subjectivities, Identities and Agency for Sustainable Development” co-supervised by Dr. Anne Byrne and Dr. Nata Duvvury of the Global Women’s Studies Programme, School of Political Science and Sociology, NUI Galway.

Qualifications
PhD (Sociology) National University of Ireland, Galway.
MA (Human Rights & Democratisation) E.MA Programme, University of Padova, Italy
Dip. (Community Development Practice) National University of Ireland, Galway
BA (Political Science, Sociology, French) National University of Ireland, Galway

Professional Membership:
Regional Correspondent for the European Society for Rural Sociology (ESRS
Sociological Association of Ireland (SAI)
International Rural Sociology Association (IRSA) International Sociological Association (ISA)
 

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