Determination of current status of the criteria and indicators used in rural development studies: The case of Isparta villages

Rural development is the work aimed at improving rural local conditions that bring negative effects to human life. In rural development studies, the problems of rural communities are identified and defined, and suitable solutions are developed according to these problems. The problems encountered in rural development are determined within the framework of rural development indicators and the criteria that these indicators reflect. In this study, criteria and indicators that were used in the past in rural development practices and that should be added today have been determined. The study was carried out based on the villages of Isparta Province. According to the results of the research, it was determined that 4 social criteria and 38 indicators, 7 economic criteria and 32 indicators, 4 political criteria and 16 indicators, 4 environmental criteria and 15 indicators were used in rural development studies in the past. For today's rural development studies, 8 social criteria and 36 indicators, 6 economic criteria and 35 indicators, 6 political criteria and 21 indicators, 6 environmental criteria and 28 indicators have been determined.