This collection gathers a number of scholars to reflect on recent developments in medieval rural history in their respective countries. Each individual contribution surveys recent areas of research, significant results, as well as perspectives for the future. This is meant not only to provide a deeper insight into how medieval rural studies relate to current debates in the social sciences, but also to help understand the connections between specific national historiographic traditions and present-day research issues in their historical context. By comparing different European regions one can see more clearly the similarities and the differences and this is a truer means of constructing syntheses and for identifying fruitful future lines of research.