離開都市，融入鄉村？──從臺灣返土歸田農夫的生計與生活探討當代城鄉關係

Abstract

本研究以臺灣「返土歸田」（back-to-the-land）農夫為研究對象，即「原本生長或長期居住於城市，並從非務農者到選擇移居鄉村，並以友善土地的方式耕作」的臺灣新農夫。研究旨趣在於：探討臺灣返土歸田農夫的另類理想、生計與生活面貌，並藉由他們的歸田經驗對當代城市與鄉村關係進行新的詮釋。本研究的研究問題有三：（1）理解這群返土歸田農夫的遷移過程以及他們的遷移理念，並詮釋都市與鄉村對於他們的意義。（2）探究這群返土歸田農夫的生計網絡是如何形成與維繫，並探討生計維繫與實踐理想之間的關係。（3）藉由本研究的案例來討論「移動年代」（an era of mobilities）下返土歸田的意義。本研究主要採取質性訪談的方法蒐集資料，訪問26位返土歸田農夫，並以參與式觀察法協助資料搜尋。在研究結果上，本研究（1）指出臺灣返土歸田「偶發式」的特徵以及其他特色。（2）提出返土歸田農夫社會資本的重要性，在歸田初始階段往往是以親戚、朋友為核心的生計網絡；社群支持乃是返土歸田農夫可以成為一個農夫的關鍵。（3）提出在移動年代下返土歸田農夫所面臨的定居課題、對於家認同的多重來源，以及返土歸田行動的反都市化意義。

This research explores Taiwan's “back-to-the-land” phenomenon. Keith Halfacree’s definition of ‘back-to-the-land’ farmers designate those who had no farming background decide to move to rural areas and become full-time farmers. Three research questions are investigated including: 1) why and how these back-to-the-land farmers move to rural areas and become farmers; 2) what their livelihood networks are like, how they form these networks, wherein ideal lifestyle and practical living demands are balanced; 3) what ‘back-to-the-land’ means given ‘the era of mobilities’ that characterizes Taiwan society as a whole. Through interviewing 26 back-to-the-land farmers, the research argues: 1) Taiwan’s back-to-the-landers shows a “contingent” experience for the farmers; 2) famers’ urban social capitals are important to form livelihood network during initial stage of their farming trade; 3) given the era of mobilities, new identity of home is found to explain new meanings of ‘back-to-the-land’ and counterurbanization. The research contributes to literatures of ‘back-to-the-land’ in both Taiwan’s and western rural studies.