**1. Introduction**

With the development of large-scale urbanization on a global scale, related opportunities and challenges also arise, such as the widening gap between urban and rural areas, excessive rural population loss, inefficient rural land use and continuous rural industrial outflow, etc. [1]. In the process of urbanization and industrialization, the decline of rural areas is a global problem, and developed countries have taken many measures to address this

**Citation:** Qu, Y.; Zhao, W.; Zhao, L.; Zheng, Y.; Xu, Z.; Jiang, H. Research on Hollow Village Governance Based on Action Network: Mode, Mechanism and Countermeasures—Comparison of Different Patterns in Plain Agricultural Areas of China. *Land* **2022**, *11*, 792. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/land11060792

Academic Editors: Yongsheng Wang, Qi Wen, Dazhuan Ge and Bangbang Zhang

Received: 22 April 2022 Accepted: 24 May 2022 Published: 27 May 2022

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**Copyright:** © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).

problem. For example, Germany implemented equal treatment of urban and rural elements based on the "equivalence" theory [2]; the United Kingdom implemented a large-scale agricultural intensification reform [3]; Japan implemented the nationwide "one village, one product" campaign, etc. [4,5]. Since the reform and opening, rapid urbanization, as a new engine to create China's economic growth, has also profoundly affected vast rural areas [6,7]. Problems such as the continuous outflow of the labor force [8,9], idle and abandoned land resources [10], weak cultural inheritance, and governance capabilities have emerged one after another [11], and the problem of "hollowing out" in rural areas has become increasingly serious.

In order to solve the increasingly hollowing out phenomenon in rural areas and seek the governance path of rural recession, the study of hollow villages has received significant attention from academic circles. The special governance stage and national conditions of development, the implementation of the "balanced occupation and compensation" of cultivated land [12], and the reconstruction of rural space and the overall development of urban and rural areas have all necessitated urgent requirements for in-depth village hollowing out renovations. In this regard, scholars in the field of rural governance have explored the concept definition, governance mode, and performance evaluation of hollow villages, which provide effective guidance and reference for this study. In terms of connotation definition, most scholars explain hollow villages from the perspectives of urban and rural element flow, land use, and village spatial planning, focusing on the spatial form of hollow villages [6,13–15]; some scholars focus on the loss of labor [16], age structure imbalance, industrial lag, etc., to determine the definition of hollow villages [17,18] and pay attention to their population distribution characteristics and economic development status [19]. In terms of governance mode, some scholars analyze it from the perspective of rural settlement planning and industrial cultivation, paying more attention to the path of village governance and carrying out multi-dimensional morphological identification and classification of governance for hollow villages [20–22]. Some scholars take the allocation of land resources as the key to governance and explore the relationship between hollow village governance and land resource utilization [23,24]. In terms of the construction of the governance evaluation index system, most scholars have constructed a macro evaluation index system of hollow village governance based on the formation mechanism and morphological characteristics of hollow villages, and on the basis of analyzing their spatial distribution and evolution process [11,25–27]. In addition, some scholars take the governance subject as the research entry point to analyzing the satisfaction of villagers [28–30] in order to reflect the governance performance level of hollow villages in the selected area or take the participation of farmers as the evaluation standard to evaluate typical hollow village governance [31].

In general, current research on the governance of hollow villages is mostly on a macro level, encompassing a static description of a single subject relationship and the intuitive evaluation of the governance effect; meanwhile, research on the dynamic process of hollow villages involves the development from governance to transformation and the relationship between participants; the governance effect of the multidimensional perspective is relatively weak. In view of this, this study utilizes the actor–network as theoretical support and Fangsi Town, Yucheng City, Shandong Province, China as the research area. Four governance cases, Fangsijie village, Xingdian village, Zhengniu village, and Weizhuang village, were selected to analyze the behavior and role orientation of human and non-human actors in the governance of hollow villages; comprehensively analyze the operation law of hollow village governance; and compare different governance modes, providing the basis for model optimization and the formulation of differentiated hollow village governance countermeasures, so as to enrich the systematic research and application practice of the hollow village governance mode, which is oriented to national strategic needs and regional development.

#### **2. Theory and Methods**

#### *2.1. Research Ideas*

Hollow village governance is a systematic process, which is an important aspect of improving the living environment, adjusting the rural spatial structure, and realizing the rural revitalization strategy. Hollow villages show different degrees of imbalance within the main structure, an idle abandonment of homesteads, a backwards industrial economy, a weak governance capacity, and a poor cultural life [32]. Essentially, there is an imbalance of population, land, industry, organization, and culture in the operation of the rural system. The interaction of various factors leads to the decline of rural life, production, ecology, organization, and culture. The governance process is also a dynamic one of mutual reorganization and connection between the governance subject and the governance object [33] and promotes the reconstruction of rural space and social relations. The actor–network theory takes each human actor and non-human actor as the research node, emphasizing that society should not be regarded as a screen that projects all actors and entities, but should be understood based on the complex and dynamic connection between them [34]. Hollow village governance refers to the interaction of a governance subject (human actor) and governance object (non-human actor), and the process is full of interaction, flow, and change. Therefore, this study intends to use the actor–network theory, focusing on process and relationship thinking as the analysis framework, to identify the composition of the actor–network of hollow village governance, analyze the interaction and connection of each actor in the process, analyze the hollow village governance process based on the actor–network theory, and deconstruct the hollow village governance model system [35]. On this basis, this study selects "two styles and four types" of typical governance models in China's plain agricultural areas, namely, "relocation and merger" and "retention of the original site", to explore the construction of actor–networks in different governance models and compare the different models to propose specific strategies for them (Figure 1).

**Figure 1.** Research ideas of hollow village governance based on actor–network theory.

#### *2.2. Actor-Network Theory*

#### 2.2.1. The Composition of the Actor–Network of Hollow Village Governance

The actor–network of hollow village governance is composed of governance subjects and governance objects, including municipal governments, local township governments, village collectives, villagers, outsiders, developers, land use enterprises, and other governance subjects, as well as population, land, industry, organization, culture, and other governance objects. Before translation, actors gathered their different interest goals and problems at the obligatory pass point (OPP) [36] and tried to obtain the expected relevant interests by solving problems. To solve the problems of each subject and achieve their aims, addressing the issue of village hollowing out and promoting the construction of a new countryside were finally implemented as core goals (Figure 2).

**Figure 2.** Actors of hollow village governance and their obligatory pass point (OPP).

2.2.2. Hollow Village Governance Process based on Actor-Network

From the perspective of the actor–network, the governance of hollow villages is a multi-level and complex process. Each actor is recruited to identify key issues, establish interest relationships, and form a translation process in a specific stage where multiple actors influence each other. Under the action of the system, a systematic governance model and an operable operating mechanism are formed [14]. The realization process of hollow village governance is reflected in several ways, as shown in Figure 3.

In terms of actor–network construction, in order to meet the goals and interests of each actor, it is necessary to implement translation in the network to eliminate action obstacles. The key actors in each mode recruit other heterogeneous actors, resulting in different modes [37]. This process predominantly includes two characteristics: organization mode and action mechanism. Organizational methods include the executive role of the two committees of the village, the leading role of the local government, the coordinating role of villagers in decision-making, the participation of social forces, the driving role of consumer consumption, etc., and different actors are interrelated and play their respective roles in the governance of hollow villages' actions. The mechanism operates to propose an integrated governance method for hollow village resources for different governance cores.

**Figure 3.** Hollow village governance process based on actor–network theory.

In terms of the role change of actors, with the evolution of policies and hollow villages, the actor–network will undergo dynamic adjustment, which is reflected in the impact of the entry, exit, and role change of heterogeneous actors on the network's relationship [38]. Guided by the current national strategy, the coordinated development of urban and rural areas, increased production and efficiency of agriculture, green rural construction, and tourism village construction are taken as new OPP goals for different actors to realize the transformation from hollow village governance to optimized development.

#### *2.3. The Recognition Method of Hollow Villages Mode*

The hollow village governance model based on the actor–network theory includes five characteristics: key actors, governance subjects, governance objects, transfer, and identity conversion [39]. In different villages, according to the characteristics of rural endowments between the governance object and the governance subject, as well as a specific compulsory passage point, translation and identity conversion are carried out under the leadership of key actors; thus, different hollow village governance models are formed.

Based on the actor–network theory, the identification of the governance model of hollow villages in a typical sample area involves a complex system comprised of multiple features (Figure 4), as well as a synthesis process consisting of rural endowment characteristics, governance objects, and governance subjects and their mutual influences and interactions. Among them, the resource endowment of hollow villages is a prerequisite for the selection of the hollow village governance model [40]. The village resource endowment clarifies the external environmental characteristics of the hollow village, including the location, type, socio-economic conditions, degree of hollowing, and current policies in the region. The absence or insufficiency of resource endowment has induced the hollowing out of one or more villages. Therefore, resource endowment essentially supports the choice of the governance model. On the contrary, the choice of the hollow village governance mode must adapt to the current situation of the village [41]. The governance object reflects the problems and obstacles existing in the current hollow village, including the hollowing of the population, land, industry, organization, and culture. Based on the problems and obstacles existing in the governance object, the hollow village is divided into a single-dimensional

form and a multi-dimensional form. In the face of different types of hollow villages, the choice of the governance mode is diversified and targeted, which provides direction for the choice of hollow village mode. The main body of governance is the key to guiding the implementation of the hollow village governance model, which usually includes the government, villagers, village collectives, enterprises, and consumers. Choosing the main body of governance and determining the key actors is at the core of hollow village governance. The main body of governance plays its own role in the existing resources and problems of the hollow village, forming a regulatory force to ensure the orderly conduct of hollow village governance and promote the implementation of the hollow village governance model. The continuous coordination between the governance object and the governance subject forms the basis for translation and identity transformation in the governance mode, which promotes the continuous optimization and upgrading of the internal system of the hollow village and improves the degree of hollowing. Consequently, by understanding the resource endowments of different hollow villages, as well as the problems existing in the governance object and through the active role of the governance subject, all actors involved in the governance of hollow villages are translated. Through the interaction and mutual influence between each other, the identity transformation of participants is promoted, and different types of hollow village governance modes are formed.

**Figure 4.** Deconstruction of hollow village governance mode.
