The role of local initiatives in rural development

This thesis is focused on the theme of local initiatives in the rural areas. At first it describes the countryside and its areas from the perspective of various authors. Subsequently it follows the development of these areas (with regard to the endogenous development) and the actors engaged in the development process. These actors are then presented as a summary through their levels and sectors, especially at the local level. Furthermore it deals with particular types of initiatives and outlines the procedure for their research, including social network analysis. For further research of this issue there are also mentioned methods of the process and procedures intended to explore initiatives, actors and related areas