Rural Communities: Legacy And Change - Softcover

Flora, Cornelia; Flora, Jan L; Swanson, Louis E; Weinberg, Mark

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0813314771 ISBN 13: 9780813314778

Publisher: Westview Press, 1992

Synopsis

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 book 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 premiering in Spring 1993. The telecourse consists of thirteen one-hour videotapes, portraying the experiences of fifteen rural communities from across the United States. The complete telecourse consists of the videotapes, this text, a study guide, and a faculty manual.For information about purchasing videocassettes, taping off-air, or licensing the telecourse, call the Annenberg/CPB Collection at 1-800-LEARNER.

About this title

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. Cornelia Butler Flora is professor in the Department of Sociology at Iowa State University.Jan L. Flora is professor in the Department of Sociology at Iowa State University.Susan Fey is at North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, Iowa State University.

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

"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
"This long-awaited update incorporates conceptual developments of the past decade. The focus remains on the unique character of rural America, but the authors make it clear that rural can only be understood in light of urban, national, and global phenomena. By the same token, students and other scholars interested primarily in urban phenomena will find much of interest in Rural Communitites."
-Connor Bailey, Auburn University

About this edition

• Publisher: Westview Press
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0813314771
• ISBN 13: 9780813314778
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352