The geography of disadvantage in rural Scotland

In the United Kingdom, despite the social legislation of the post-war era, poverty and deprivation remain the daily experience of many citizens. Large numbers of the disadvantaged live in rural areas, yet most research attention has been focused on conditions in urban Britain, and in particular on the main cities of England. This research employs a multi-scale multi-indicator approach and data extracted from the latest Census of Population to identify the nature, intensity and incidence of disadvantage in rural Scotland. The empirical findings are of both academic and policy relevance. Finally, a five-dimensional conceptual framework is presented as a guide for future research into the geography of rural disadvantage.