Review of The Rural as a Space for Living Well. A Geographical Journey through Ruralities in the First Quarter of the 21st Century

Abstract

The present review analyzes the book Lo rural como un espacio para vivir bien, edited by Claudia Andrea Mikkelsen and Sofía Estela Ares (2026). The book offers a renewed interpretation of rural spaces from a geographical perspective, articulating a conceptual proposal around ruralities in the plural, a methodological development centered on the Rural Well-being Index (RWI), and an empirical application in the southeast of the Province of Buenos Aires. The review highlights the contributions of the work regarding its critique of the rural–urban dichotomous approach and its operationalization of well-being as a multidimensional category, while also reflecting on the tensions inherent in the quantification of complex territorial processes. Likewise, it points out the relevance of this book for addressing other Argentine ruralities and for continuing to advance toward a situated understanding of rural well-being.