Influence pathways of village livelihood capital on the idle homesteads reuse

• Ding, Xueqian ^[1] ; Wang, Li ^[1] ; Tan, Yongzhong ^[1]
  1. [1] Zhejiang University

     Zhejiang University

     China

     
• Localización: Land use policy: The International Journal Covering All Aspects of Land Use, ISSN 0264-8377, ISSN-e 1873-5754, Nº. 160, 2026
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Rapid urbanization and rural restructuring have led to widespread idle homesteads, presenting significant challenges for sustainable rural development worldwide. This study investigates the configurational influences of livelihood capitals on idle homestead reuse at the village level in rural China. By explicitly incorporating institutional capital as a sixth dimension into the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF), we systematically examine how various capitals interact in nonlinear, complex configurations to drive homestead reuse outcomes. Methodologically, we integrate fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) using comprehensive survey data collected from 43 villages. The findings reveal that no single type of livelihood capital independently constitutes a necessary condition; instead, idle homestead reuse results from five distinct and sufficient configurations, characterized by complex interactions among collective economic strength, internal trust, infrastructure completeness, organizational capacity, and resource endowments. Institutional capital emerges as particularly crucial, functioning variably across contexts: it serves as either a critical enabling factor, a complementary support, or even occasionally as a limiting condition, depending on the specific configuration of other livelihood capitals and regional circumstances. Furthermore, significant regional variations exist between western and non-western China, underscoring the necessity for differentiated and context-sensitive policy interventions. These findings enhance the theoretical understanding of rural land use transitions and provide valuable, actionable insights for policymakers aiming to promote sustainable rural development and optimize land resource utilization in developing regions.