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Dr. Mara van Twuijver is a lecturer in the Department of Food, Business, and Development. Her research is focused on rural and community development, social entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, with a strong commitment to exploring how entrepreneurship—in its broadest sense—can drive sustainable futures for people and the planet.
Olmedo, L., van Twuijver, M., & O'Shaughnessy, M. (2023). Rurality as context for innovative responses to social challenges–the role of rural social enterprises. Journal of Rural Studies, 99, 272-283.
Mara earned her PhD as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow within the RurAction research network. Her doctoral research explored social enterprises and the vital role these organisations play in driving local development in rural communities. She is particularly interested in exploring post-growth and alternative development pathways that prioritise social and ecological well-being over economic expansion, and that foster resilience through locally rooted, community-led innovation. Her work places a strong emphasis on collective entrepreneurship and collective action, examining how communities mobilise shared resources, knowledge, and capabilities to drive inclusive and locally embedded change. Her work has been published in journal like the Journal of Rural Studies, Local Economy and the Journal of Social Entrepreneurship.
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