This book explores the disparities between rural and urban locations. Some of which are widening due a lack of multiculturalism (the British countryside is overwhelmingly white, 97.6%), a failure to provide adequate infrastructure such as internet coverage and a change in diet – veganism and vegetarianism are traditionally associated with ‘townies’.
Each chapter explores a different aspect of this great disconnect, starting with the perception of home.
One of the first stories Jones shares makes reference to them and us, “In our village there’s people who have moved in and then there’s the other people” (pg 21). After reading this particular passage the first thing that came to mind was ‘The Gap Instinct’, as explained in the book Factfulness, leading to a distorted world-view and in this case deepening tensions amongst rural communities. And with counter-urbanisation rates increasing post-COVID, it doesn’t look as though these tensions will abate.
Divide also highlights the obstacles rural communities face on a daily basis such as access to schools requiring additional travel (pg 28), dog walkers (pg 260), their dependency on tourism and second homes (pg 59-60).
Jones goes on to challenge the use of the phrase rural communities, asking the reader to consider the locations they are referring to when using such phrases, and the discrepancies where statistics are concerned (pg 54). Before making the claim that urban poverty is more visible, compared to rural poverty (see below).
A farmer, living in a beautiful stone cottage overlooking the fells – except his cupboards are bare, and he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t lonely. A family out shopping in a pretty postcard village – except they live squashed into a tiny box room asleep on a friend’s sofa. A single mum walking her toddler to playgroup in the quaint village hall – except she can’t drive, there are no buses and playgroup is the only place to go; the only thing that breaks the monotony of her isolation.
Pg 55
Recommended age range: GCSE+
Mrs Geography 