Synopses & Reviews
Rural America is a complex mixture of peoples and cultures struggling for survival. It ranges in character from workers in manufacturing plants in Georgia to Laotian immigrants who have relocated in Kansas; from farmers committed to sustainable agriculture to entrepreneurs planning a world-class ski resort in California's Sierra Nevadas; from laid-off miners in West Virginia to Native Americans in the Southwest searching for an economy consistent with their cultural values. These are all parts of rural America, seldom heard of in the mass media but deeply reflective of the legacies left by those who settled the land.This revised and updated edition of Rural Communities bridges the gap between social theory and community change by focusing on the problems that face rural America and offering students a framework for applying sociological concepts. The authors explore such issues as the diversity among rural communities; the interactions between communities and the economy; the governmental, economic, and social resources available in rural communities; and how communities organize for action. Although the authors explore community change within a rural context, their findings are applicable to urban neighborhoods as well. The notion of empowerment-that the understanding and analysis provided through the social sciences can result in community action-is unique to this book.This book can be used as a text for introductory courses in rural sociology, social problems, and community studies or by community groups to explore their own responses to a variety of problems. The book is also the companion text to a PBS college-level telecourse and television series entitled Rural Communities: Legacy and Change. The telecourse portrays the experiences of fifteen rural communities from across the United States.
Review
"This book paints an illuminating picture of the complexity that is rural America today. A highly readable examination of the issues, this book sets a new standard for a publication that is both narratively approachable and theoretically rigorous."
-Karl N. Stauber, president of the Northwest Area Foundation, St. Paul, Minnesota, and former Under Secretary, USDA
Review
"This is an exciting, practical, well-researched, and usable framework for making a difference in rural communities. Highly recommended to anyone interested in understanding how rural communitites function and in being part of positive community development in rural America."
-Dick Senese, Associate Dean, Community Development & Vitality, University of Minnesota Extension Service
Review
"This text contributes to pedagogical effectiveness, student learning and empowered community practice. The text is well written, clearly organized, engaging, insightful and readable for a wide range of audiences."
—Teaching Sociology
Review
"This is a very readable book which both students and more advanced readers will appreciate. The authors present their material in a clear and systematic way. … It will be of particular value to rural social workers and community practitioners who will benefit from its broad conceptual framework and extensive discussion of issues and challenges facing rural communities today."
—Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare
Synopsis
This core text for rural sociology courses is now updated to include major conceptual and topical developments of the past several years, presenting a practical framework for understanding the internal and external forces shaping rural communities today.
Synopsis
Communities in rural America are a complex mixture of peoples and cultures struggling to survive by implementing innovative approaches to their problems. These people range from miners who have been laid off in West Virginia, to Laotian immigrants relocating in Kansas to work at a beef processing plant, to entrepreneurs drawing up plans for a world-class ski resort in California's Sierra Nevada.This thoroughly revised edition of
Rural Communities focuses on various capitals in rural areas-natural, cultural, human, social, political, financial, and built. This integrative approach provides students with a framework for understanding rural society based on the concepts and explanations of social science. Issues covered include racial and cultural diversity; globalization and rural communities; the central role of communities in organizing a sustainable future; and building community in the context of ubiquitous change. Updates to the third edition include a new chapter on governance, as well as new material on increasing tensions over international immigration, the differential impact of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on rural communities, and the rural impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the south. The authors also examine the international trade regime, economic restructuring, and the choices for communities and regions in the face of these changes.
About the Author
Cornelia Butler Flora is director of the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development and professor of sociology at Iowa State University, where she is also Charles F. Curtis distinguished professor of agriculture.
Jan L. Flora is professor of sociology and extension community sociologist at Iowa State University.