Problems of increasing the competitiveness of rural areas

The article considers the problems of theoretical and methodological study of the socio-economic situation of rural areas. Rural territories are an important socio-economic and sociocultural system of society. Problems in the development of rural areas are largely related to the dominant sectoral approach, which does not take into account the role of informal social institutions and other features in the dynamics of rural societies. The author focuses attention on the need to apply an integrated approach to the study of rural areas.