This Discussion Paper records the 14 papers presented in the Rural Economy and Society Section of the Sociological Association of Aotearoa (New Zealand) held at Lincoln University 7-9 December, 1990. 
The papers cover development issues, rural history, contemporary research and issues relating to the discipline of rural sociology in New Zealand. The development paper examines landownership in Northern England and the tensions surrounding different land uses. The history papers examine the impacts of transport technology, long term trends in agriculture exports, and Shelley's activities in rural education in Canterbury. The contemporary research papers, while wide ranging, include common themes such as how farm people have responded to the economic downturn in recent years by seeking off farm income. Another focus is the rural community with one paper examining local politics and another paper examining public drinking. The disciplinary papers look back at our rural research and then examine prospects and priorities for research in future. This discussion paper includes the full text of the following papers: Olivia Wilson, Landownership and rural development in Britain: a case study of the North Pennines (extended extract); James Watson, Rural New Zealand and the second industrial revolution; Neville Bennet, Cycles and booms in New Zealand agriculture exports (abstract only); Box, car and ace: Shelley in rural Canterbury, 1920-1936; Valerie Walton, Women's economic contribution to the farm; Margaret Begg, Dairy farm women; Richard Le Heron, Mike Roche, Tom Johnston and Susan Bowler, Pluriactivity in New Zealand's agro-commodity chains; Ian Gray, Issues and non-issues in rural local politics; Alison Loveridge, Formal qualifications and farm employees: does getting school certificate really help people become farm owners?; John Fairweather and Hugh Campbell, Public drinking and social organisation in Methven and MT. Somers; Ian Carter and Alison Loveridge, The strange absence of New Zealand rural sociology; Trevor Showdon, Rural sociology in New Zealand: dimensions; interdisciplinary intersections, institutional settings and future research