Professor Matt Lobley

Matt Lobley is a rural social scientist, with over 30 years of research experience, drawing primarily on the disciplines of Rural Sociology and Geography. He has a long-standing track record in the generation of external research income from a range of sources including Research Councils, Government Departments, NGOs, Charities and the private sector. His research largely focuses on understanding influences on and impacts of farm household behaviour. In particular, his main interests relate to the role of farm households in the management of the countryside, for example, through exploring the impact of policy reform; attitudes towards agri-environmental policy; and the environmental and social impacts of agricultural restructuring. One of his main areas of expertise is in the mental health and well-being of farm households and family life-cycle and succession issues on family farms. He co-directs a collaborative international project (FARMTRANSFERS) exploring farm succession and retirement in a range of different social, economic and political contexts. Beyond agriculture and the environment, other research interests include the design and impact of rural development initiatives and, more broadly, the social sustainability of rural communities.