Toward One Oregon – Rural–Urban Interdependence and the Evolution of a State

"Every state in the nation has geographic divisions that loom large as barriers to common cause. In Oregon, the so-called "rural-urban divide" has shaped its history. "Toward One Oregon" examines the prospects for uniting our geographically diverse state in the years ahead.

When Oregon became a state in 1859, its role in the nation and the global economy was quite different than it is today. Current times demand a new, strategic understanding of the state and its role in the nation and the world if its people--all of its people--are to thrive.

"Toward One Oregon" examines Oregon's urban and rural history through political, economic, and demographic lenses. The contributors--historians, urban planners, economists, geographers, and political scientists--explore the two Oregons. Using the best of urban and rural policies in strategic and complementary ways, they offer a collaborative path forward--for Oregon and for any state faced with seemingly insurmountable geographic divisions.

Michael Hibbard is Director of the Institute for Policy Research and Innovation and Professor of Planning, Public Policy & Management at the University of Oregon.