Yuyu Fan

University of Jinan

Abstract：

Taking Town C as a representative case, this paper systematically evaluates the effectiveness of rural elders' participation in village governance and proposes pathways for improvement. Through a combination of literature review, theoretical framework development, empirical investigation, and a multidimensional evaluation model, it reveals the pivotal role of elders in mechanisms such as resource sharing, trust-building, and communication coordination for governance performance. Findings indicate that institutionalised participation by local elders significantly enhances public service provision, conflict mediation, and rural civility. However, challenges persist, including insufficient incentives and ambiguous role definitions. Based on these evaluations, the study proposes three key strategies: refining institutional incentives, establishing multi-stakeholder governance platforms, and strengthening digital empowerment. These recommendations offer insights for advancing modern rural governance.

Key Words：

local elders; rural governance; effectiveness evaluation; institutionalisation; digital empowerment