THE RELATIONSHIP between voter discontent in rural areas and support for disruptive political movements in Europe and the United States will be explored in a major study by an Aberystwyth University professor, following the award of a prestigious grant.

Professor Michael Woods has secured funding of nearly €2.5 million from the European Research Council (ERC) for the ‘Rural Discontent, Spatial Justice and Disruptive Politics in the Twenty-first Century’ (Rural-Spatial-Justice) project.

Over the next five years, the Rural-Spatial-Justice study will explore why many rural regions have been key supporters of Brexit in Britain, Donald Trump’s presidency in the United States, and populist parties in Europe such as Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally.

It will investigate how the grievances of rural people influence voting patterns, as well as look at variations between different rural areas, and will examine the consequences of rising populism for inclusion and diversity in the countryside.

Prof Woods said: “In a time of political uncertainty, it is important for us to understand how feelings of discontent and injustice in the countryside may feed support for disruptive movements.

“This grant will allow us to compare patterns in several countries and to investigate why similar pressures on rural communities produce different political outcomes in different places.”

The project will compare examples in Britain, France, Poland, Spain and the United States, working with partners at the University of Kentucky and the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire.

Researchers will combine analysis of election results, a major survey of 17,500 people, and local case studies.